ATP roundup: Stefanos Tsitsipas wins opener in Dubai

ATP roundup: Stefanos Tsitsipas wins opener in Dubai

Fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas won points on 81 per cent of his first serves in his 7-6 (4), 6-3 defeat of Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the opening round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Monday.

Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut came from behind to defeat Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4), in the only three-set match of the day.

Winning in straight sets were Alexei Popyrin of Australia, Russia’s Karen Khachanov, Zizou Bergs of Belgium and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard of France.

Cristian Garin gave his hometown fans something to cheer about, rallying for a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Argentine qualifier Juan Pablo Ficovich in the first round at Santiago, Chile.

Garin took advantage of just three of his 16 break-point opportunities, but he wound up with a 9-3 edge in aces.

In other opening-round action, qualifier Gustavo Heide downed Thiago Seyboth Wild 7-5, 6-2 in an all-Brazilian matchup. Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann topped Argentina’s Facundo Diaz Acosta 7-5, 6-3, and Serbia’s Laslo Djere eliminated Peru’s Ignacio Buse 6-4, 6-3.

Eighth-seeded Tomas Machac needed two hours, and 15 minutes, to edge Czech countryman Jakub Mensik 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 in the first round in Acapulco, Mexico.

The other seeded players in action also advanced. No. 2 Casper Ruud of Norway downed France’s Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 6-3; No. 3 Tommy Paul of the United States trounced Canadian qualifier Gabriel Diallo 6-2, 6-2; and No. 5 Ben Shelton of the United States nipped Italy’s Flavio Cobolli 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4).

Also earning first-round victories were Belgium’s David Goffin plus the United States’ Marcos Giron and qualifier Learner Tien.