Michael Mmoh has won the American Wildcard Challenge, ensuring that he will feature in the main draw of the 2017 Australian Open.
The eighteen year-old American earned the wildcard by performing well in the Challenger tournaments that collectively counted towards the Challenge. His maiden Challenger title in Knoxville, where he defeated the likes of Tim Smyczek, and Peter Polansky, heavily contributed towards his success. Mmoh also reached the quarter-finals of the Champaign Challenger before being forced to withdraw ahead of his match with Christopher Eubanks.
Mmoh’s career highlights so far include qualifying for the Memphis ATP event, and pushing Alexander “Sascha” Zverev in a 7-6, 7-6 defeat as a wildcard at the Miami Masters.
Mmoh’s nearest challenger came in the form of Reilly Opelka, who defeated Mmoh en route to claiming his maiden Challenger title in Charlottesville. Opelka was then forced to withdraw from the Knoxville Challenger, and could then only manage a second round performance in the last counting event in Champaign, ensuring that Mmoh finished above him in the overall standings.
Last year’s recipient Noah Rubin performed well, stunning Benoit Paire in the first round of the Australian Open, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6, before falling in the second round.
