Prajnesh secures first round Winston-Salem win

Indian player Prajnesh Gunneswaran defeated German Cedrik-Marcel Stebe 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Winston-Salem Open.

Prajnesh Gunneswaran will face Benoit Paire in the next round.

Indian player Prajnesh Gunneswaran eased past Cedrik-Marcel Stebe 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Winston-Salem Open on Sunday.

Prajnesh, who is India's number 1 player currently, will face Benoit Paire in the next round.

Prajnesh had beaten Paire in straight sets 7-6 (5), 6-4 in an hour and 30 minutes, in the first round of the Indian Wells this year.

In doubles, Asian Games gold medallists Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan, playing together after a gap, were beaten 6-3, 6-3 in the pre-quarterfinals by Nicholas Monroe and Tennys Sandgren.

Results from round 1 in North Carolina: Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) bt Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (GER) 6-3, 6-4 Marius Copil (ROM) bt Martin Klizan (SVK) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 Robin Haase (NED) bt Denis Kudla (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) Lloyd Harris (RSA) bt Jaume Munar (ESP) 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-1 Tomas Berdych (CZE) bt Andreas Seppi (ITA) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3