Jeremy Chardy, who is currently No. 38 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, has travelled to countless cities around the world. Rarely does he get to go somewhere new, but that is the case this week as he’s playing at the Konzum Croatia Open Umag for the first time. The third-seeded Frenchman has been enjoying his time in the beautiful Croatian city, prior to opening his campaign against Nikola Cacic in the second round. Here’s what he’s been up to in Umag:

“I love to run with my team every time when I arrive at a tournament. In the morning, I like to run with them before going to practice. When the place is really nice, it’s always easier to wake up and go for a run. I love to run here. We go in the morning, because afterwards it’s too hot. We are a big group and it’s really nice for me because sometimes in tournaments you’re alone, so to spend time with them is a little bit like [having] a family group. Time goes quicker with them!”

“It’s an amazing view. Everything is really close so for the players it’s good. We come a lot of times by the water and when you arrive, you have a nice view of the Centre Court. It’s really nice.”

“We are not here to enjoy ourselves, but it’s always better when we’re in a good place since we have to do a job. There are some moments to relax and some moments to work. I was working on my serve because here, when we’re on clay, the balls are going quickly. If I serve well, it’s good for my game and especially for this tournament.”

“[The aqua park] is in the hotel. I was with the son of my coach and he asked me to go with him, so I went there and we did all the things together. I love kids and I love spending time with him so when I have some free time, I enjoy it.”

“It’s special because not many tournaments start at 5:30 p.m. I think it’s good for two reasons. For the players it’s really hot [during the day], so for the level of the game it’s better. For the people, they can come after a day of enjoying the pool or the beach and they come here during the night and watch tennis and enjoy. It’s amazing when the courts are full.”

“The view at lunch and dinner is always amazing and when the sun goes down, the sky is really nice. I was having dinner and I saw this sky and I said, ‘Wow, I should take a picture’. I think the picture is quite nice!”

Local favourite Gerald Melzer gave the home crowd something to cheer about by winning his first-round match on Tuesday at the Generali Open, rallying from a set down to prevail 5-7 7-5 6-4 over 2011 finalist Albert Montanes.

The victory on Centre Court avenged Melzer’s opening-round last year to Montanes in Kitzbuhel. Melzer, ranked No. 107 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, trailed 4-5 in the second set before winning the next five games. The win marked his first ATP World Tour main draw win of the season. He has been excelling on the ATP Challenger Tour, winning three titles in the first two months of 2016.

Next up for Melzer is qualifier Daniel Gimeno-Traver. The Spaniard won their only previous career meeting in 2014 in Hamburg.

In other first-round matches, sixth seed Dusan Lajovic withstood a difficult opening set before moving past Rogerio Dutra Silva, 7-6(7), 6-1. Eighth seed Jan-Lennard Struff saved all five break points against him and needed just 52 minutes to advance past wild card Akira Santillan, 6-2, 6-2. 

A pair of #NextGen stars kicked off their Citi Open campaigns in winning style on Monday, with Taylor Fritz and Jared Donaldson tasting first-round success. Fritz – the youngest player in the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings – posted a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Israel’s Dudi Sela on Stadium Court.

The 18-year-old World No. 67 sent down 11 aces and staved off all seven break points on his way past the 31 year old to set up a clash with fellow #NextGen star, seventh seed Alexander Zverev.

Donaldson won his third straight match, after winning through qualifying, defeating Frenchman Vincent Millot 5-7, 6-2, 6-4. It was the 19 year old’s first ATP World Tour victory of the season and he will next take on Millot’s compatriot, No. 4 seed Benoit Paire.

In other matches, Japanese World No. 93 Yuichi Sugita had a tougher time of it finding a way past 2014 finalist Vasek Pospisil. The World No. 93 bounced back to steal a 1-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) victory over the Canadian and will face #NextGen star Borna Coric in the second round.

“In the first set, I made a lot of mistakes and could not get a good feel for my groundstrokes. Moving back a bit and focusing on my first serve made a big difference,” Sugita said. “I’m always learning. I enjoy moving on the court, even in the hot conditions here. I can run until the end of any match, so that’s my weapon.”

John Millman, James Duckworth and Jordan Thompson made it an ideal three from three for the Australians on the first day’s play at the Citi Open in Washington on Monday. Fresh from a career-best third-round Grand Slam showing at Wimbledon, Millman carried his form to the first tournament on the US hard court swing, downing local hopeful Denis Kudla 7-5, 6-0.

The 27-year-old hit five aces on his way past Kudla, reeling off the last seven games of the match to book a second-round showdown with 2010 finalist Marcos Baghdatis. The last time the pair met, Baghdatis prevailed in a five-set battle in the second round at Wimbledon in 2015. Qualifier Duckworth inflicted more pain on the Americans, taking down Tim Smyczek 7-5, 6-1.

It was Duckworth’s third win in a row, having come through qualifying. He claimed 76 per cent of his first-serve points and was never broken. The win sets up a clash with top seed and three-time runner-up John Isner.

Thompson became the third Australian to advance in straight sets. The World No. 90 in the Emirates ATP Rankings overcame Victor Estrella Burgos 6-3, 6-2. Thompson, 13 years the Dominican’s junior, won 88 per cent of first-serve points in little more than an hour to set up a second round meeting with 11^th seed Alexandr Dolgopolov.

In other matches, 22-year-old Bjorn Fratangelo claimed an all-American battle with Alex Kuznetsov, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 to book a second round match against another of his countrymen, Sam Querrey. Brit Dan Evans built on his third-round run at Wimbledon to see off German Benjamin Becker 6-2, 6-1.

Argentine Leonardo Mayer won 10 of the final 12 games against home favourite Nikola Mektic to move into the second round 7-5, 6-2 on Monday at the Konzum Croatia Open Umag.

Mayer was down 3-5 in the first set and Mektic was serving, but the 29-year-old Buenos Aires resident broke Mektic twice to take the first set. He’d break him two more times in the second set to win their first meeting in one hour and 27 minutes.

Mayer, who reached a career high No. 21 in the Emirates ATP Rankings last year, entered the clay on Umag at No. 117. The 2014 Hamburg titlist has had to withdraw from four tournaments this season because of tendonitis in his serving shoulder. He next will face second seed Joao Sousa. Mayer won their prior meeting in 2014 on clay in Portugal.

Serbian qualifier Nikola Cacic spoiled Aljaz Bedene’s 27^th birthday by upsetting the Brit 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 27 minutes. The 25-year-old Cacic, No. 761 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, next will face third seed Jeremy Chardy of France.

In the lone doubles contest, second seeds American Nicholas Monroe and Kiwi Artem Sitak swept Croat wild cards Dino Marcan and Ante Pavic 6-2, 6-1.