Groth scores first Grand Slam win
UPDATE 2.25pm: Big-hitting Sam Groth has joined Sam Stosur, Casey Dellacqua and Bernard Tomic in the second round of the US Open on another banner day for Australians at Flushing Meadows.
New York, NY, USA, 27 August 2014 | AAP
Big-hitting Sam Groth has joined Sam Stosur, Casey Dellacqua and Bernard Tomic in the second round of the US Open on another banner day for Australians at Flushing Meadows.
Davis Cup captain Pat Rafter and coach Josh Eagle ventured to court 15 to watch Groth blast past Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3 7-6(5) 6-3 to give Australia a seven-from-11 start to the final Grand Slam of the year.
Fittingly for the owner of the world’s fastest serve, Groth didn’t face one single break point in his impressive straight-sets win.
His reward for reaching the second round is a showstopper against 17-time major champion Roger Federer.
Federer confirmed the date with a 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) win over Groth’s compatriot Marinko Matosevic in Tuesday’s feature night match on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“Obviously it’s going to be a big moment, the biggest moment of my career,” Groth said.
“It’s my (first) time in a Grand Slam second round and, if it’s on the biggest court in the world – size-wise – on a Friday night in the biggest city in the world, of course it’s going to be a dream come true.
“When you’re growing up, you dream of playing tournaments like this. You dream of playing on the big stadium courts.
“You don’t dream of playing on a back court at Kalgoorlie.”