Matt Ebden confident his attacking tennis can stack up but Jordan Thompson bows out

MATT Ebden says he has proof his brand of attacking tennis can hold sway over the legions of baseline belters in men’s tennis but it was an early Brisbane International exit for Jordan Thompson.

Matt Ebden in action against Frances Tiafoe at the Brisbane International.

RESURGENT Australian Matt Ebden says he has statistical proof that his brand of attacking tennis can hold sway over the legions of baseline belters in men’s tennis.

The second-ranked Australian man has a willingness to attack the net and saw off the talented American Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-2 to book a second-round crack at countryman Nick Kyrgios.

Ebden had the biggest rankings leap of any player in the men’s top 100 last year, rebounding from a knee injury and rising 620 places to No.76 – at the age of 28.

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“I was encouraged that I could do it and that while doing it I was able to work on and actually implement things in my game,’’ Ebden said.

“For sure one of my strengths is coming in, my movement and my net game.

“Two years ago at the US Open the stats were (that when) playing from the baseline anybody was, at best, winning 49 or 50 per cent of the points. People who were serve-volleying or coming to the net, they were winning 67 to 70 per cent of those points.

Matthew Ebden in action against Frances Tiafoe at the Brisbane International.

So the winning stat for that tournament was definitely coming (to) the net. You see Roger (Federer) doing it, everyone, even guys like Rafa (Nadal), who you think of as just a baseliner, and (David) Ferrer.

“So now there’s a bit of a mixture (of playing styles).’’

Ebden’s ranking improvement snuck up on Kyrgios, but Kyrgios said he has respect for the athleticism of the West Australian, who will be bidding for a Davis Cup recall for the tie against Germany next month at Pat Rafter Arena.

“He’s always had potential to be a very good player. If he gets a bit of confidence, with his game style, he’s tough to beat,’’ Kyrgios said.

“The more Aussies we have doing well, the better it is for all of us.’’

Jordan Thompson serves against Jared Donaldson.

Australian Davis Cup player Jordan Thompson was unable to keep the good times rolling for himself at Pat Rafter Arena, beaten 6-2, 6-4 by American Jared Donaldson.

Thompson reached his first ATP quarter-final in Brisbane 12 months earlier and ambushed year-end top-10 player Jack Sock in the Davis Cup win over the Americans in April.

Townsville qualifier John-Patrick Smith was ousted in the first round after a tense second-set fightback, losing 6-4, 7-5 to Germany’s eighth seed Mischa Zverev.

Ebden has not played Kyrgios in a tour match.

“Nick has got a great serve. That’s one of his biggest weapons that carried him through well the last few years with his upsets and good results that he’s had,’’ he said.

John Millman will face Peter Polansky at the Brisbane International. Picture: Lachie Millard

“He moves well for a big guy. I’ve got to obviously serve well myself, use my strengths well.’’

Ebden’s doubles partner John Millman has been drawn against Canadian Peter Polansky, one of four qualifiers, for a Pat Rafter Arena night match.

Polansky, 28, had a chilling experience as an 17-year-old when he kicked out a window in a hotel room in Mexico, fearing there was an intruder with a knife approaching him.

The young Canadian fell three stories and despite having no broken bone required more than 400 stitches he was out of tournament tennis for four months.

Polansky told a Canadian newspaper in 2006 that the incident was “a combination of a nightmare and sleepwalking” and he had a history of sleepwalking.