NEWPORT — Ever since winning his first, and only, ATP Tournament title on the grass at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2022 and ascending to a rank of No. 31 in the world, success has been fleeting for French-born and California-raised Maxime Cressy.
Without a win on the ATP circuit so far this season and forced into playing Challenger Tournaments and qualifying rounds to reach the main draw of tournaments, Cressy earned his mettle in his fourth trip back to Bellevue Avenue Monday, taking a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (4) verdict over Moldovia’s Radu Albot.
Cressy made his Hall of Fame Tournament debut in 2019 as a wild card entry, losing in the qualifying round. Then back again in 2021, he won two rounds, beating Sam Querry. A year later, en route to the Newport title, he beat Steve Johnson, John Isner and Alex Bublik.
This season has had its hardships for the the 27-year-old – winning two rounds at the Illkey (England) and Wimbledon qualifying rounds, but not advancing and taking one round at Stuggart, Germany. Cressy has a 10-6 record in Challenger Tournaments, but unable to string enough wins to get into main draws and crack the top-100 rankings.
“Here, the energy, the atmosphere is amazing,” Cressy said of the 48th and final edition of pro grass court tennis in America due to a changing ATP calendar. “Grass really suits my game well, being here is very emotional for me.”
Also on the road to recovery is former world No. 17 Reilly Opelka, the Michigan native now No. 1187 after hip surgery in 2022. The 6-foot-11 Opelka hit 16 aces, won 89 percent of his first service points and faced just four break points in a 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (2) win over France’s Constant Lestienne. Another American, No. 91 Alex Kovacevic of New York City won his first ever match on grass by beating France’s Harold Mayot.
Cressy delivered 14 service aces (with a high speed of 137 mph), but he also had 23 double faults, won just 49 percent of his first service points and just 38 percent of his second service points.
“My game has gotten better in every aspect,” Cressy added, earning his seventh career Newport victory in the 230-point, near three-hour marathon. He won 28 first serve return points and 27 second serve return points, while taking 51 net points and hitting 45 winners.
“Last year, I was 30-35 (in the rankings) and this year, I flopped a bit (down to No. 180),” Cressy admitted. “If I can get my matches like that, it would be ideal.”
Cressy wasted a 4-2 lead in the second set, dropping service in the eighth and 10th games and then suffering another service break in trying to close out the match in the 12th game of the third set.
Cressy trailed 2-0 and 4-2 in the third set, but gained service breaks in the seventh and 11th games. He gained the edge in the tiebreaker when Albot deposited two stray backhands on his serve, Cressy taking a 6-3 lead.
“I’m proud of myself for really fighting,” Cressy said. “I was very nervous being back here, I really wanted to do well. I put a lot of pressure on myself — moments when I have to finish off a match or a (service) break.
“It was pretty difficult with the wind, but I did the best that I could in the conditions,” he added. “I’m going to keep fighting to get back to the top, to do whatever it takes.”
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