Adjust your alarm clocks accordingly.
Denis Kudla, JTCC alum, will make his Wimbledon debut tomorrow at 6:30 AM EST (11:30 GMT). Kudla will take on Australian James Duckworth on Court 5.
Last Meeting
The two met for the first time last year (May 7, 2012) in Rome in the round of 32 of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, an ATP World Tour Masters event played on red clay. Kudla retired in the second set due to injury. Duckworth was up 6-3, 3-1. In the abbreviated match, Duckworth saved five break chances, served up four aces and was effective in the return game (won 33% of first serve returns and 66% of second serve returns).
Tale of the Tape (2013 stats)
|
Denis Kudla |
|
James Duckworth |
|
20 |
Age |
21 |
|
105 |
Ranking |
174 |
|
5’ 11’’ |
Height |
6’ (183 cm) |
|
165 lbs (75 kg) |
Weight |
181 lbs (82 kg) |
|
Right-handed |
Plays |
Right-handed |
|
25 |
Aces |
68 |
|
15 |
Double Faults |
15 |
|
60% |
First Serve Percentage |
59% |
|
82% |
Service Games Won |
77% |
|
23% |
Return Games Won |
13% |
|
41% |
Break Points Converted |
26% |
|
56% |
Break Points Saved |
63% |
|
$300,271 |
Career Prize Money |
$220,521 |
Pre-Match Quotes (credit to Tennis.com)
“To be able to qualify for Wimbledon for the first time is a huge achievement for me,” Kudla told TENNIS.com in a telephone interview. “I’m glad I was able to play three really good matches in qualifying and I really feel like I belong. It’s a great feeling.”
“It would mean a lot to me; being in the Top 100 is something I always wanted to achieve and always worked for,” Kudla says. “Hopefully I can do it at Wimbledon, but I’m not really putting a ranking goal on myself. My goal is to try to win an ATP title and try to make a quarterfinal at a Grand Slam.”
“The strengths of my game are my fitness and also probably my backhand,” Kudla says. “I try to use both to my advantage. I’m trying to really work on my serve and develop more weapons as well.”
