German star Alexander Zverev survived a brief second-set scare to beat Dutchman Robin Haase 6-4, 7-5 and reach the second round of the ATP tournament in Halle on Monday.
Second seed Zverev came back from 5-2 down in the second set to win in straight sets in front of his home crowd and set up a second round meeting with American Steve Johnson.
Zverev is among the favourites in Halle alongside Roger Federer, who faces Australia's John Millman in his first-round game on Tuesday.
Third seed Karen Khachanov is also in the second round after beating Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.
France's Pierre-Hugue Herbert sprung a minor surprise as he beat veteran compatriot Gael Monfils 7-6 (8/6), 6-4.
There was disappointment for the home crowd as German veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber suffered a second first-round defeat on home soil in the space of a week against Steve Johnson.
Kohlschreiber, who was also knocked out in the first round in Stuttgart last week, lost 6-3, 6-3 and missed the opportunity to set up a potential second round clash with compatriot Zverev.
Elsewhere, third Moldova's Radu Albot came from behind to win 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 over Australia's Matthew Ebden and Portugal's Joao Sousa recorded a 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 win over Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.
-Prajnesh loses in first round of qualifying -
India's top-ranked singles player Prajnesh Gunneswaran lost 6-1, 6-4 in the first round of qualifying to Britain's James Ward at the ATP Fever-Tree Championships in London.
French Open runner-up Marin Cilic outclassed Chile's Cristian Garin 6-1, 7-5 in the first round in a match that lasted 1 hour 17 minutes.
Spain's Fernando Verdasco lost to fourth seed Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 4-6 in the first round match, while second seed Kevin Anderson fought back from one set down to beat local boy Cameron Norrie 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to progress to the second round.
-Kenin, Bencic progress in Mallorca, Gasparyan stuns Svitolina-
USA's 20-year old Sofia Kenin entered the second round of the Mallorca Open with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Kirsten Flipkens 6-2, 6-3 while Elise Mertens beat Andrea Petkovic 6-2, 6-2 in the first round.
Switzerland's world no 13 Belinda Bencic prevailed over Sweden's Rebecca Peterson in a 7-5, 6-4 win on Monday.
Russia's Margarita Gasparyan stunned world no. 7 Elina Svitolina in the opening match of the Nature Valley Classic at Birmingham in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory. Karolina Pliskova easily beat Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-3, 6-4 in the first round while French Open semifinalist Johanna Konta defeated Estonia's Anett Kontaveit 6-4, 6-2.
Comments
SHARE