Mardy Fish delays retirement with first-round win at U.S. Open
Mardy Fish's professional tennis career isn't over just yet.
Playing in his final tournament before retiring, the former top 10 player and native of Edina was victorious Monday in his first-round match at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, New York.
Fish overcame a shaky first set to defeat 102nd-ranked Marco Cecchinato of Italy, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.
"I'm glad I got to come back here one more time," Fish said after the match, according to USA Today.
According to ABC News, Fish "showed some nerves" early and overcame some cramps before dispatching his opponent with an ace to end the nearly three-hour match.
He'll play Feliciano Lopez of Spain, the 18th-ranked player in the world, in his second-round match.
Fish, 33, hadn't played at Flushing Meadows since bowing out of the 2012 U.S. Open after suffering a panic attack before taking on Roger Federer in the fourth round of that year's tournament.
It was a low point in his career and it publicized his fight against anxiety, which he now says he has under control.
''If anyone reads about my story, and says, `Look, there's a guy that struggled with a lot of stuff that I am dealing with now, and he got through it,' then, yeah, I'd love that,'' Fish told Sports Illustrated. ''If it helps one person, then that's great.''
Fish was born in Minnesota but now lives in California with his wife and infant child.
