“Deafness is a part of my tennis life,” says the South Korean. “It sometimes gives me disadvantages, but it has never discouraged me.”

After a lengthy rain delay, the 21-year-old finished off a 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory over Henri Laaksonen in the first round of the Winston-Salem Open late Monday evening.

The veterans, on the north side of 30, both won Challenger events over the weekend.