Donald Young was simply excited to finally win a set in a tour-level match Monday, against another up-and-comer who's a little older and already a lot more established.
Young, a 17-year-old American, lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-0, 6-1 to 20th-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the first round of the U.S. Open.
That made Young 0-10 at the tour level, but he took this positive away from the match:
``I won my first set. Came against probably the highest-ranked player that I've played. So I'm very happy about it,'' Young said. ``Winning the first set made me feel a lot better. Gave me a lot more confidence. I could actually play out there with some of the top guys.''
The youngest man in the draw, he received a wild card into the Open from the U.S. Tennis Association, a reward for being the national junior champion. Last year, he became the youngest boy to finish a season ranked No. 1 on the junior circuit.
The left-handed Young felt his left forearm swell up during the third set, and he was checked by a trainer.
And he pointed to his fitness when asked what he wants to do to improve.
``Mostly just get physically stronger, develop,'' Young said. ``Be able to last out there longer, like the rest of them.''
Djokovic, 19, reached the French Open quarter-finals.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
