Resurgent Anderson beats Brooksby for Newport title

Six-foot-8 (2.03-meter) Kevin Anderson of the host Sacramento Capitals
serves in a 2012 World TeamTennis match. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Welcome to the big time, Jenson.

   Kevin Anderson, a 6-foot-8 (2.03-meter) South African, used his power, mental toughness and experience to subdue Jenson Brooksby, 20, of Carmichael, Calif., in the Sacramento area 7-6 (8), 6-4 today in the final of the Hall of Fame Open on grass in Newport, R.I.

   The 35-year-old Anderson, a two-time Grand Slam finalist coming back from two knee surgeries, saved a pair of set points, both on his serve, in the tiebreaker and earned the only service break of the match in the opening game of the second set.

   Seeded eighth, Anderson blasted 16 aces overall, committed three double faults and won 81 percent of the points on his first serve (44 of 54).

   The 6-foot-4 (1.93-meter) Brooksby, who was unseeded, finished with six aces and no double faults and won 77 percent of the points on his first delivery (40 of 52). 

   Anderson won his seventh ATP Tour singles title, first since January 2019 and first on a surface other than hardcourt.

   Brooksby, a human highlight reel, played in the first grass-court tournament of his life and in his first ATP Tour main draw. He fell to 32-7 since turning pro in late December,, including three titles in Challenger tournaments and a runner-up finish in another.

   Anderson reached the 2018 Wimbledon final, shocking top seed and defending champion Roger Federer in the semifinals, to climb to a career-high No. 5. He will soar 39 places to No. 74.

   Brooksby, ranked No. 310 at the beginning of the year, will jump 26 spots to a career-high No. 126.

   Anderson is practically American. He starred at the University of Illinois for three years (2005-07), met his U.S.-born wife there and lives in Gulf Stream, Fla., with Kelsey and their daughter Keira, who will turn 2 in September. 

   Anderson has a long history in Northern California. He won the 2006 NCAA doubles title at Stanford with Ryan Rowe and reached the singles final of a $15,000 Futures tournament in the Sacramento suburb of Loomis in 2007. In 2012, Anderson advanced to the singles quarterfinals and doubles final (with Frank Moser of Germany) in San Jose, Calif., on the ATP Tour and played part-time for the Sacramento Capitals of World TeamTennis. The San Jose tournament and Capitals folded after the 2013 season. 

   USTA National Clay Court Championships — In the boys 16 doubles final in Delray Beach, Fla., No. 10 seeds Caden Hasler of American Fork, Utah, and Dylan Tsoi of El Dorado Hills, Calif., in the Sacramento area defeated No. 1 seeds Stefan Regalia of Alexandria, Va., and Cooper Woestendick of Olathe, Kan., 4-6, 6-3 [10-2].