O'Connell edges Sweeny in three sets in Cincinnati qualifying

Christopher O'Connell recovered from a first-set tiebreak loss to beat fellow Australian Dane Sweeny 6-7 6-2 7-5 in the qualifying semifinals in Cincinnati. The serve carried him through the turnaround: nine aces against just two double faults, 71.4% of points won behind the first delivery and a remarkable 65% behind the second, enough to stay solid through a tense final set. Sweeny, by contrast, was undone by eight double faults and won only half of his second-serve points, with 60.9% on first serve offering little cushion. The win moved O'Connell to the final qualifying round at the Masters 1000.