The 2016 season got off to a good start for 17-year-old rising American star Stefan Kozlov. The American defeated Philip Bester in a tough 7-6(7), 6-7(3), 6-3 three set victory to claim the USA F1 Futures Los Angeles title.
Kozlov With THe Win
Kozlov saved three set points in the first set. The American took six out of the last seven points to roar back for a one set lead. The second set belonged to Bester in another tight affair as he took the tiebreak 7-3 to take the match to a decider. The first two sets lasted slightly over two hours. Despite serving at 39 percent in the 3rd set, the American only lost two points on serve in route to victory as he broke his opponent twice. The 17-year-old captured his 2nd career pro title.
In 2015, Kozlov struggled transitioning to the pro tour while posting below par results. He earned one Futures title throughout his 2015 season. Hopefully, this most recent Futures title is a sign of great things to come for the young American who looks to make a name for himself in the professional ranks. Currently at a career high of 350 in the world, improved results will help the 17-year-old get higher in the rankings moving forward.
Making History
During the process of winning the F1 Futures title, Kozlov had his part in history. The tournament was the first Futures event since 1998 that played for higher prize money than 10,000 or 15,000 dollars. The ITF has made the change from $15,000 to $25,000 for the higher tournaments. Kozlov's title conquest happened to be the first one after the change was made. This is a big deal for lower ranked players who are struggling to stay on tour due to low prize money and travel expenses. The raise in awards can help sustain these players for a longer period of time and help up and coming players get their first substantial pay checks.
The 17-year-old was the 6th seed in the tournament. His first two rounds ended in two straight set victories, and then he defeated young player Gianluigi Quinzi, a three set victory that propelled the American to the semifinals. The most impressive match for the American came in the semis as he dismantled the top seed Tennys Sandgren 6-1, 6-1. He now goes on to play in the Long Beach Futures next week.