Frenchman Richard Gasquet is up and running on home soil at the Open Aix Provence Credit Agricole, where the 37-year-old overcame countryman Harold Mayot 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 on Tuesday.
Gasquet, who next plays top seed Adrian Mannarino at the ATP Challenger Tour 175 event, closed the two-hour, 13-minute battle on his fifth match point.
In other thrilling three-set action in Aix-en-Provence, Albert Ramos-Vinolas survived Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-4. Despite squandering four match points in the second set, the Spaniard quickly rebounded, breaking Wawrinka in the Swiss’ opening service game of the decider and never looking back. The 36-year-old lefty next meets fourth seed Roman Safiullin.
The 10th time is a charm 🍀
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) April 30, 2024
Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas beats Wawrinka for the first time in 10 meetings!#ATPChallenger | @OpenduPaysdAix | @RFETenis pic.twitter.com/9zuzX0lAlX
Jaume Munar breezed past Marcos Giron 6-1, 6-3 and Alexandre Muller was a 6-4, 6-2 winner against Cristian Garin.
At the Sardegna Open in Cagliari, Italy, Yoshihito Nishioka earned his first clay-court win of the season outside of Davis Cup by cruising past Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas 6-2, 6-4. The Japanese No. 1 converted six of his seven break points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
Italian Luciano Darderi rallied past Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. A hard-fought final set consisted of five breaks of serve amidst rainy conditions, with the eighth seed Darderi prevailing after two hours, 15 minutes. Play was then cancelled for the day in Cagliari due to rain after the completion of two main draw singles matches.
Luciano Darderi celebrates his first-round victory at the Sardegna Open. Credit: Mike Lawrence/ATP Tour
On Wednesday’s card in Cagliari, fifth seed Lorenzo Sonego takes on #NextGenATP American Alex Michelsen and home favourite Fabio Fognini faces Federico Coria. In Aix-en-Provence, sixth seed Pedro Martinez meets Brandon Nakashima and David Goffin goes against Alexander Shevchenko.
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