Tennis: Americans Paul, Pegula, Rogers, Tatishvili Qualify for 2015 US Open

Tommy Paul

This year’s French Open junior boys’ champ and ATP No. 430-ranked teen Tommy Paul of Boca Raton, Fla., became the lone American male to qualify to the US Open draw over the weekend.

Paul in the final round of qualifying beat Marco Chiudinelli 6-1, 6-4.

“It’s unbelievable,” the 18 year old told ATPWorldTour.com. “It was great, especially having it in New York at the US Open at our home slam.

He was one of five teenage male qualifiers, joining the five teens already in the main draw to make the most teenagers in a US Open men’s draw in 25 years, and doubling last year’s number of five.

Paul thanked Larry Lauer, the USTA’s mental skills specialist, for his training in helping him keep things together once he lost a break in the second set against Chiudinelli.

“He’s the one who works on my mental game,” Paul said of his training in Boca Raton at the USTA Training Center H.Q. “We talk about that kind of stuff all the time. When I was on the changeover after I got broken, I think about what Larry told me.”

Three American women reached the main draw as Shelby Rogers, Anna Tatishvili and Jessica Pegula all successfully navigated the final round of qualifying.

Falling in the final round of qualifying were Americans Melanie Oudin, Catherine Bellis and Claire Liu.

Rogers last year posted her best US Open result by reaching the second round, while Tatishvili reached the fourth round in 2012. Pegula will be making her first main draw appearance.