University of Tennessee Athletics
Smith Qualifies, Joins Sandgren in US Open
August 25, 2017 | Men's Tennis
NEW YORK— Former Tennessee great John-Patrick Smith won his third match to qualify for the U.S. Open for the second time in his career.
Smith did not drop a set in three qualifying matches, defeating American Mitchell Krueger in the final round 6-4, 6-4 Friday.
The U.S. Open 128-player main draw begins next week. Smith is set to face Italian veteran Thomas Fabbiano, currently No. 81 in the ATP World Tour Rankings.
Former Vol Tennys Sandgren is also in the singles main draw, getting directly in with his ranking of 104. Sandgren is assured to play on one of the show courts to open the tournament, set to face No. 2-seeded Andy Murray.
ABOUT JOHN-PATRICK SMITH: From Townsville, Australia, Smith has found his form of late. The 28-year-old lefty qualified for the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati in his last tournament. He is currently ranked No. 202 in singles and 82 in doubles. He and Matt Reid reached the finals of the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open in Newport, R.I., earlier this summer.
For the Volunteers, Smith was only the second eight-time All-American in the history of college tennis and was voted by athletic directors at the 2011 SEC Athlete of the Year. He held the No. 1 ranking in singles and doubles and had a combined 198 victories.
ABOUT TENNYS SANDGREN: Sandgren, a native of Gallatin, Tennessee, surged during the clay court season when he earned a wild card to the French Open and cracked the top 100 in the world rankings for the first time. He has won a pair of ATP Challenger titles this year at Tempe, Arizona, and Savannah, Georgia.
Now 26, Sandgren was a member of Tennessee's SEC championship teams in 2010 and 2011. He never lost a match on Tennessee's courts and reached the NCAA singles semifinals in 2011 before starting his professional career.
Smith did not drop a set in three qualifying matches, defeating American Mitchell Krueger in the final round 6-4, 6-4 Friday.
The U.S. Open 128-player main draw begins next week. Smith is set to face Italian veteran Thomas Fabbiano, currently No. 81 in the ATP World Tour Rankings.
Former Vol Tennys Sandgren is also in the singles main draw, getting directly in with his ranking of 104. Sandgren is assured to play on one of the show courts to open the tournament, set to face No. 2-seeded Andy Murray.
ABOUT JOHN-PATRICK SMITH: From Townsville, Australia, Smith has found his form of late. The 28-year-old lefty qualified for the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati in his last tournament. He is currently ranked No. 202 in singles and 82 in doubles. He and Matt Reid reached the finals of the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open in Newport, R.I., earlier this summer.
For the Volunteers, Smith was only the second eight-time All-American in the history of college tennis and was voted by athletic directors at the 2011 SEC Athlete of the Year. He held the No. 1 ranking in singles and doubles and had a combined 198 victories.
ABOUT TENNYS SANDGREN: Sandgren, a native of Gallatin, Tennessee, surged during the clay court season when he earned a wild card to the French Open and cracked the top 100 in the world rankings for the first time. He has won a pair of ATP Challenger titles this year at Tempe, Arizona, and Savannah, Georgia.
Now 26, Sandgren was a member of Tennessee's SEC championship teams in 2010 and 2011. He never lost a match on Tennessee's courts and reached the NCAA singles semifinals in 2011 before starting his professional career.
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