Wall-to-wall Champions and Americans at this year's Delray Beach Open
Feb 12, 2025
The Delray Beach Open main draw is stacked with former champions and a strong group of Americans this year. Be sure to stop by the Delray Beach Tennis Center off Atlantic Avenue to check out the action this week.
Former Delray Beach Open champions are everywhere this year. And today, several former DBO champs will be on-court. The 2022 singles titlist Cameron Norrie and doubles champions Robert Galloway (2024), Ariel Behar (2021) and Jackson Withrow (2018) will all be playing. Past singles finalists Miomir Kecmanovic (2023) and Yoshihito Nishioka (2020) face off against each other.
Above: 2022 DBO singles titlest Cameron Norrie hits his signature backhand. Photo credit: Andrew Patron/Delray Beach Open.
And former NCAA champions are also all over the DBO this year as well. Wednesday's matches feature two NCAA singles champions and an NCAA doubles winner. Fifth seed Marcus Giron, who won the 2014 singles title for UCLA, faces 2023 champion for Georgia Ethan Quinn. And the 2021 doubles champion from Tennessee, Adam Walton, teams up with former North Carolina Tar Heel Rinky Hijikata after his singles match.
In addition, there could be a record for the number of Americans in the second round — it's still possible with 9, equaling the record set in three previous years. Eight are already there. The last first-round match is played on Wednesday featuring American wild card Learner Tien against Australian Adam Walton.
Above: American Reilly Opelka took down another American Christopher Eubanks 6-3, 7-6(7) last night. Photo credit: Andrew Patron/Delray Beach Open.
Of those Americans, there are two impressive young guns to look out for — wild card Learner Tien, 19, who just recently upset the fifth-ranked player at the Australian Open. And third seed Alex Michelsen, 20, who upset the 12th-ranked player in Australia and reached the Next Gen semifinals. He has also reached two ATP finals.
Florida Tennis got a chance to sit down with Michelson who reflected on his chances of (someday) winning a Grand Slam. He also discussed the areas he needs to improve on to one day achieve that lofty dream. Here's what he had to say...
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Check out today's DBO schedule here. For more reporting on the Delray Beach Open, be sure to check out additional content from Florida Tennis contributor Adam Ross on Facebook along with Associate Editor Osvaldo Godoy and Entertainment Director DJ Mad Linx on Instagram.
Tuesday's DBO Results
Singles First Round
[8] Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (Spain) def. [LL] Taro Daniel (Japan) 6-2, 7-6(2)
[9] Arthur Rinderknech (France) def. Dmitry Popko (Kazakhstan) 6-2, 6-4
Yoshihito Nishioka (Japan) def. Aleksandar Vukic (Australia) 6-3, 6-4
Yunchaokete Bu (China) def. Rinky Hijikata (Australia) 6-2, 6-0
[WC] Mackenzie McDonald (USA) def. Kei Nishikori (Japan) 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-5
[WC] Reilly Opelka (USA) def. Christopher Eubanks (USA) 6-3, 7-6(7)
Doubles First Round
Robert Cash (USA) / JJ Tracy (USA) def. [3] Santiago Gonzalez (Mexico) / Lucas Miedler (Austria) 6-4, 7-6(4)
[4] N.Sriram Balaji (India) / Miguel Reyes-Varela (Mexico) def. [WC] Ethan Quinn (USA) / Learner Tien (USA) 3-6, 6-2, 10-4
Miomir Kecmanovic (Serbia) / Brandon Nakashima (USA) def. [WC] Tristan Boyer (USA) / Tennyson Whiting (USA) 6-1, 6-3
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Source: Delray Beach Open. Photo credit (top): Andrew Patron/Delray Beach Open.