US Open Day 2 Takeaways: Isner saves career, Mmoh stuns Khachanov
By Marvin Azrak
Mmoh leaves Khachanov speechless at the US Open
American Michael Mmoh left the crowd on Court 12 roaring with his 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 upset victory over the 11th-ranked Karen Khachanov.
The Russian, who made it to the semifinals last year, looked more caught off guard than a squirrel in a game of hide-and-seek.
It was his first match since the French Open, where he received a stress fracture and a hip-and-groin partial fracture! He’s probably wishing he stayed on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. Then again, he gets $81,500 for being in the tournament, so it’s not all bad.
Mmoh, the 25-year-old ranked 89th, is on a roll. He marched into the third round of the Australian Open and even showed Alexander Zverev a thing or two. At Wimbledon, he decided to give a lesson to No. 15 Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first round with a convincing straight-sets victory.
The final set of Tuesday’s match had some drama. The first two games were like a tug-of-war, with each player winning one. Khachanov thought he could win points near the net, but Mmoh had other plans. He dished out power-packed shots like they were candy, making Khachanov chase after them like a kid after an ice cream truck.
Mmoh was on fire, breaking Khachanov’s serve twice, in the third and seventh games. It was like watching a master chef cook up a storm. Khachanov’s netted ball on match point was the cherry on Mmoh’s victory sundae.
After the match, Mmoh spilled the beans on his secret recipe for success. He’s been reading books for advice, taking pointers from the pros around him, including Coco Gauff’s dad.
Up next for Mmoh is none other than Isner. It’s like an epic showdown between the new kid and the seasoned warrior. I can’t wait to see how this chapter unfolds!