A healthy portion of the Los Angeles Tennis Center crowd had filed out before Zack Fleishman even took the court on Tuesday night.
Those who stayed to see the former Bruin face Fernando Gonzalez, the tournament’s top seed and No. 5 ranked player in the world, saw what could be the most amazing upset of the week.
Fleishman, who grew up playing at LATC, topped Gonzalez 7-6, 6-3 with a titanic serve and unwavering poise.
"I beat a top 10 player … in the place where I’ve been practicing since I was nine," Fleishman said.
"This is the best moment of my career."
It was clear that the Santa Monica native, ranked No. 162 in the world, felt at home.
"Instead of my heart rate being through the roof, which it is normally with every point being so important, I felt comfortable," Fleishman said. "I was in a mental zone."
Gonzalez and Fleishman went back and forth throughout the first set. Each held serve until the eighth game, when Fleishman broke Gonzalez’ serve to take a 5-3 lead. The Chilean battled back, tying the match at 6, before Fleishman won the tiebreaker.
"I hit my first serve, and I felt comfortable from there on out," Fleishman said. "I knew if I could just play my game I could compete."
Gonzalez noted the speed of the court, and Fleishman’s strong serve.
"It was a really tough match; he served really well and the conditions were very fast," Gonzalez said. "My serve in the second set cost me."
By the second set the contingent of Fleishman supporters grew a bit raucous. There were over 80 people there to watch him, he said. The cheers created an electric atmosphere.
Gonzalez got a little bit angry, too. He slammed his racket in the fourth game of the second set after falling down 3-1. He was visibly upset ““ helpless against Fleishman’s rocket serve.
"When your opponent gets frustrated … you have to keep pushing the pace," Fleishman said. "I’m usually more subdued, but I was throwing fist pumps right and left."
Gonzalez broke Fleishman’s serve in the next game, after falling down 0-30. But then his back flared up. He said he felt like he was playing with one arm due to the injury, and he took a medical timeout after the fifth game. There was speculation that Gonzalez might withdraw from the tournament.
"I wanted to finish that match more than anything," Fleishman said.
Sure enough, Gonzalez returned, and Fleishman maintained his offensive style. Gonzalez held his last serve to bring the set to 5-4 before Fleishman sealed the win.
It was a shocking night for everyone in attendance, but Fleishman didn’t seem so stunned afterwards.
“I know that if I can hold my serve, I can play with anybody,” he said.
And so Fleishman, who had served as a ball boy at the same event as a kid, got his moment of glory.
“To play my best tennis in a night match with my whole support group here is just unbelievable,” he said.