The Dallas Open kicked off on Monday, with Brandon Nakashima securing a hard-fought win over John Millman in his opening round match.
The young American battled past the veteran Aussie in a 7-5 7-6(3) victory, hitting an astounding 15 aces in their one hour 48 minutes encounter. Nakashima displayed explosive power from the baseline, employing his speed to engage in long rallies before ending the point on his terms.
The 20-year old reached the quarterfinals in Sydney this year, and is hoping to carry his momentum over from last year, after reaching the semifinals of the NextGen ATP Finals.
Former World No.5 Kevin Anderson defeated Sam Querrey 6-4 6-4 in a big-hitting encounter, relying on his powerful groundstrokes and expertise to overwhelm the American. The South African hit 21 aces to Querrey's 11, winning 30 of 34 points behind his first serve.
After being hindered by injuries over the past few years, Anderson is hoping to make a comeback and improve on his current ranking of World No.101.