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By Chris Oddo | Monday August 31, 2015

 
Mardy Fish

Mardy Fish won his first US Open match in three years on Day 1, taking out Italian Marco Cecchinato in four sets.

Photo Source: AFP

Mardy Fish extended his last visit to the US Open by at least another two days on Monday, as he used the throaty swell of a partisan Grandstand crowd to help him rally past Italian Marco Cecchinnato, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.

More: Ivanovic Stunned by Cibulkova in Round One

The Victory marks Fish's first Grand Slam win since the 2012 U.S. Open. The American's withdrawal from a round of 16 match in New York with Roger Federer that season was a setback in Fish's prolonged battle with the anxiety that had surfaced after he underwent a heart procedure to repair an arrhythmia earlier that season. 

Fish wouldn’t play again for six months, and a year later he left the game for 18 months.

But this summer, citing his need to leave the game on his terms and his desire to provide inspiration to others who suffer from anxiety, Fish is making his farewell tour count.

After defeating Viktor Troicki in Cincinnati, he battled Andy Murray closely before falling. Here in New York, he overcame a shaky start to pummel Cecchinato in front of a vociferous crowd on Monday.

It was a good match. It was a good draw, too.

As far as Grand Slam draws go, the gods were clearly in favor of a prolonged visit from 33-year-old Fish. In Cecchinato, Fish was facing a player who had never played in a Grand Slam main draw before—nor has he ever won a match on a hard court at the Tour-level.

Despite that fact, the more proven and experienced Fish went flat and handed the first set to the Italian after taking an early lead. But the Edina, Minnesota native recovered and eventually began to dominate the match en route to his 52nd career Grand Slam win. After committing 24 unforced errors in the first set, Fish tightened up his game—he only committed 28 in the final three sets, and finished with 49 winners on the day.


Next up the American will face off with 18th-seeded Feliciano Lopez. The Spaniard defeated qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili, 7-6(5), 6-1, 6-3.

 

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