MASON − Before the Cincinnati Open, J.J. Wolf wanted the local fans to know that he's a kid from Cincinnati who has "that good blue-collar working mentality that everyone has here." That work ethic was on display in one of the best early matches of the Cincinnati Open that very few people got to see. Wolf, a Cincinnati Country Day product, defeated Sho Shimabukuro 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in the second round of qualifying on Wednesday, Aug. 12. Technically, the 2-hour, 12-minute match wrapped up on Thursday morning as Wolf broke Shimabukuro's serve to take the contest at around 2 a.m. on the Grandstand Court. Regardless of the date, the result means that Wolf is into the main draw of his hometown tournament for the first time in three years. More: The top first-round WTA matches to watch during the Cincinnati Open More: Here are the top 1st-round ATP matches to watch at the Cincinnati Open More: Aryna Sabalenka unfazed by summer slump heading into Cincinnati Open
Wolf's two-match qualifying run was delayed by severe weather in Mason both days. His first-round match against Shintaro Mochizuki on Tuesday, Aug. 11 wrapped up around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. On Wednesday, Wolf was slated to be the final match of the night on the Grandstand. Play did not begin in Mason until Wednesday night as the tournament canceled the entire session for fans but played in empty stadiums once the weather broke at night. Wolf had a 5-3 lead in the third set, but was broken by Shimabukuro, who then held serve to tie it 5-5. Wolf then held serve to take a 6-5 lead before prevailing in the 12th game. Wolf has been on the comeback trail over the last 18 months. He missed a year due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. This season, he's been mostly playing ATP Challenger events to boost his rankings and return to form. The 27-year-old won his most recent Challenger in Vancouver before heading to Cincinnati. Wolf reached a career-high ranking of No. 39 in 2023. He currently sits at No. 282 and will seek his first career main draw victory (0-3) at the Cincinnati Open on Friday, Aug. 14 against an opponent that has yet to be determined. "I don't think I'm gonna get to 40 in the world this week, but if I can keep making that my goal, that's a win for me this week," Wolf said. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: J.J. Wolf wins pair of qualifiers to reach Cincinnati Open main draw