Tennis Pro, 15, Youngest Winner Since '02

Ryan Harrison expected to move up 500 spots in rankings
By Mike Buss,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 14, 2008 10:59 PM CDT
Tennis Pro, 15, Youngest Winner Since '02
Ryan Harrison of the United States returns a shot to Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay during a tennis match in the first round of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship Monday, April 14, 2008 in Houston.   (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

Fifteen-year-old Ryan Harrison beat Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 6-4, 6-3 in the U.S. Clay Court Championship on Monday to become the 10th player in the Open Era to win a main-draw match before his 16th birthday. Harrison is also the youngest player to get a main-draw win on the ATP tour since current world No. 2 Rafael Nadal in 2002.

Harrison, who will turn 16 in May, won 17 of 18 points during one stretch of the first set and closed out the set on his first opportunity by breaking Cuevas' serve at 15. In the second set, he faced only one break point. Harrison entered the match ranked No. 1,277 in the world and was expected to improve to 704. (More tennis stories.)

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