Another great escape by Frank the Tank

NEW YORK – Irrepressible Canadian Frank Dancevic hasn’t played much at this level lately.

The former world No. 65 was out much of 2017 (and compromised much of 2016) by injury.

So when he gets a chance to play at the Slam level, you know Frank the Tank will maximize.

It’s not necessarily intentional. In the life and career of Dancevic, somehow it just seems to work out that way more often than average.

Wednesday night at the US Open qualifying was no exception.

Up against a tall Italian named Luca Vanni, who came complete with a vociferous cheering squad, Frank the Tank was up against it.

He hit a couple of inside-out forehand drop shots in the last two points of the second set to take it the distance. Because that’s what Frank the Tank would do, right?

A little close-it-out drama

At the end of the third, after double-faulting three times on match poin and watching several quality winners from Vanni go by, with his back talking in completely sentences to him, Dancevic finally prevailed 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

He will face French veteran Stéphane Robert in the second round Thursday. But he probably didn’t pull up too well Thursday morning. So let’s hope for a miracle Frank the Tank recovery.

Here’s what it looked like on court Wednesday night (we can’t show much actual tennis, but you can get the gist of the atmosphere).