JOPLIN, Mo. —
Jordan Cox is starting to get the feel of professional tennis.
Cox, an 18-year-old from Bradenton, Fla., advanced to the quarterfinals of the Millennium Tennis Club $10,000 Men’s Futures on Thursday by defeating John-Paul Fruttero, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
The match was Cox’s second three-set victory in as many days at the USTA Pro Circuit event and sets up a matchup at 10 a.m. today against No. 2 seed Adam El Mihdawy, a 20-year-old from Long Island City, N.Y.
“This is the level where guys want to grind through and get to the next level so they can play in big tournaments,” said Cox, who is seeded sixth. He won his first professional title this year in South Korea.
Cox, originally from Atlanta, Ga., said he began playing at age 8. “It started with my brother and parents,” he said. “At that age, I was just doing what my big brother did.”
His career reached a milestone last year when he was runner-up in the juniors’ event at Wimbledon after he defeated Devin Britton in the semifinals.
Afterward, Cox and Britton began training at IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton. Britton also played in the tournament at Millennium this week.
“Just being Wimbledon, it has that feel to it as one of the greatest tournaments in the world,” Cox said. “It was a magical week. I’ll always remember that result and that week.
“I just took it one match at a time and it turned out to be an unbelievable week on and off the court,” he said.
Cox survived a day of upsets Wednesday at Millennium as third-seeded Jean-Noel Insausti was defeated by Joel Kielbowicz, 6-1, 6-3, and No. 4 seed Todd Paul was defeated by Robbye Poole, 6-1, 6-4.
Top-seed Greg Ouellette, No. 5 seed Dennis Zivkovic and No. 8 seed Yu Chang each advanced in straight sets. Ouellette faces Chang today in the quarterfinals.
Antonio Ruiz-Rosales joined Kielbowicz as players who advanced through the qualifying round into the quarterfinals.
Doubles
Wearing burnt-orange T-shirts, Jean Andersen and Josh Zavala, teammates at the University of Texas last spring, advanced to the doubles final in their first tournament together by defeating Keith-Patrick Crowley and Antonio Ruiz-Rosales.
They will face two-time defending champion Todd Paul and teammate Maciek Sykut at 5:30 p.m. today in the doubles final.
“We’ve been practicing together for about seven months,” Zavala said. “We’ve always played well in practice as a team, so why not play some Futures and see how we do?”
Zavala said he and a different partner faced Paul’s team three years ago and was defeated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. He also recalled winning a Futures singles match against Sykut two years ago.
Zavala and Andersen watched as Paul and Sykut played before their semifinal match.
“They look like a pretty solid team at the net,” Andersen said.
Sports
Related Photos
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Jordan Cox, of Bradenton, Fla., shows his frustration after mishitting a ball during a Wednesday match against Syrym Abdukhalikov of Kazakhstan during the Millennium Tennis and Fitness Club’s $10,000 Men’s Futures Tournament. Globe/T. Rob Brown
Discussion
July 22, 2010
Wimbledon juniors runner-up adjusting to pro tournaments
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Outlaws open season Thursday on the road
Chris Oldner takes a cut during the Joplin Outlaws practice Tuesday afternoon. The Outlaws open their season on Thursday night at Rossville and play seven road games before their home opener on June 5.
The Joplin Outlaws and new coach Rob Vessell have set some lofty goals for the 2012 baseball season.
Continued ... - Stanton’s homers fuel Marlins’ surge in May
- Five sign to join Missouri Southern women's track team
- Whisner ignites Joplin Miners past Webb City
- Venus Williams joins Serena on sideline in Paris
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- Pittsburg State Sports
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- Vengels sixth in heptathlon; PSU picks up two seventh-place finishes
- Ethan Cordray signs with Pittsburg State
- Lions, Gorillas begin competition in outdoor track and field championship
- Three finalists named for PSU head baseball coach position
- Lions qualify 10, PSU 15 for Division II outdoor track meet
- Missouri Southern Sports
- High School Sports
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Area athletes turn shine at state meet
Webb City's Jarvis Jones takes sixth in the 200.
- Cleo Elbert steps down at Thomas Jefferson
- Frontenac wins first state baseball title
- Joplin's Jeremy Lynn takes fifth at state tennis
- Frontenac advances at state baseball
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