LITTLE ROCK — Australian Chris Guccione stood out at the St. Vincent Tour de Paul on Wednesday.
There weren’t many 6-7, hard hitting left-handers in the field, and not many formerly ranked as high as No. 67 in the world, either.
The second-seeded Guccione beat Bjorn Propst 6-3, 6-2 Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Tennis Association Pro Circuit tournament at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock.
Guccione, 25, reached his highest ranking in 2008 - reaching the second round of all four Grand Slam events he competed in that year, with two ATP World Tour finals appearances. Now, he is ranked No. 249.
Guccione, though, is climbing back. He has rebounded since falling to No. 546 last September. He attributes some of that to playing more matches in new places, and this is the first time Guccione has played in Little Rock.
“Just to get some matches before going to Europe on clay courts,” Guccione said of why he decided to play the circuit’s longest-running event this week. “I’d just spent that last few weeks training.”
Guccione pulled out a tough victory in the first set, as five of the first six games went to deuce. Propst had the advantage point eight times, but only put away two games. Guccione capitalized on three of his four advantage points.
Propst, the No. 815-ranked Austrian, faulted 26 serves, with six double faults.
Guccione did not have an ace until game 4 of the second set, but had no double faults. His hardest hit shots came in the final game, when he easily put away his tiring opponent.
Guccione said his experience in major tournaments helps him perform well on the circuit.
“It gives you confidence knowing that you’ve played there,” Guccione said of his experience in major events, “and obviously the goal is to get back there.”
Guccione has also experienced some success in doubles play. He and partner Carsten Ball won the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, R.I. last year. The two also reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open and the round of 16 at the Australian Open in 2009.
Ball was the top seed in the singles tournament this week, but lost to Alex Bogdanovic 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (2) in the first round. Ball and Guccione are not playing in the doubles tournament.
Tournament director Breda Turner said having a player the caliber of Guccione helps the event in Little Rock in many ways.
“It draws a strong field,” Turner said. “Whenever you have a high-rating player, it helps get others. They want to compare themselves to that higher rank.”
Guccione will next play Jimmy Wang Saturday in the quarterfinals.
If Guccione wins the event, he will gain 27 points used to determine world rankings -putting him one step closer to perhaps reaching the top 100 again.
“They’re all playing for the same points,” Turner said.
St. Vincent Tour de Paul at Pleasant Valley Country Club Little Rock THURSDAY’S RESULTS SINGLES Alex Bogdanovic def. Michael McClune 6-4, 6-2 (5) Nicholas Monroe def. Blake Strode 7-5, 6-2 (4) Vasek Pospisil def. Mark Verryth 7-6(2), 6-1 Jamie Baker def. Boris Nicola Bakalov 6-2, 6-0 (7) Arnau Brugues-Davi def. Tim Bradshaw 6-3, 6-4 Dimitar Kutrovsky def. (3) Clement Reix 7-6(3), 7-5 Jimmy Wang def. Darian King 7-5, 6-2 (2) Chris Guccione def. Bjorn Propst 6-3, 6-2 DOUBLES Taylor Fogleman/Benjamin Rogers def. Bjorn Propst/Clement Reix 6-3, 6-3 (2) Nima Roshan/Artem Sitek def. (3) Daniel Danilovic/Joshua Zavala 7-6(9), 6-4 TODAY’S MAIN DRAW PAIRINGS (5) Nicholas Monroe vs. Alex Bogdanovic (4) Vasek Pospisil vs. Jamie Baker (7) Arnau Brugues-Davi vs. Dimitar Kutrovsky (2) Chris Guccione vs. Jimmy Wang
Sports, Pages 21 on 04/08/2011