#NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime earned his second tour-level win on Tuesday, beating Andrej Martin 6-3, 6-3 at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag.

The 17-year-old Montreal native, who recorded his first tour-level victory against Vasek Pospisil at the BNP Paribas Open, converted four of six break-point chances and won 60 per cent of second-serve return points to set a meeting with defending champion and 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up Andrey Rublev. Fourth-seeded Rublev is making his first return to action after a three-month injury absence, dating back to the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

Marton Fucsovics snapped a three-match losing streak to upset eighth seed Benoit Paire 6-1, 6-3 in 74 minutes. The Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open titlist created 10 break-point opportunities, converting seven, en route to victory. Fucsovics, now 15-14 this season, will next face qualifier Marco Trungelliti of Argentina, who beat Croatian wild card Franko Skugor 6-3, 6-4.

Robin Haase made a successful return to Umag, coming from a set down to beat Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in two hours and seven minutes.

Haase, who last appeared at the Croatian event in 2011, landed 10 aces and won 68 per cent of service points to set a second-round meeting against Slovakian qualifier Martin Klizan, who dismised Nicolas Jarry 6-2, 6-0. The 31-year-old Haase is bidding to reach the quarter-finals for the first time, having lost in the second round on both his previous visits.

Maximilian Marterer rallied from a set down to beat Croatian wild card Nino Serdarusic 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. The BMW Open by FWU semi-finalist fired nine aces and did not face a break point after dropping the first set. The German, seeded ninth, will meet Laslo Djere in the second round. Djere overcame 2014 champion Pablo Cuevas 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 on Monday.

Did You Know?
Carlos Moya is the most successful player in Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag history. The Spaniard won five titles at the event between 1996 and 2007, including three consecutive triumphs from 2001 to 2003.

Fernando Verdasco notched his 20th victory at the SkiStar Swedish Open on Tuesday, defeating Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

Both men entered the first-round contest with as many wins as losses at tour-level in 2018, but it was two-time finalist Verdasco who improved to 18-17 for the year after two hours and three minutes. The fifth seed won 85 per cent of first-serve points and converted three of seven break point chances to hand Sonego a fifth defeat in nine tour-level clashes this year.

Verdasco will face Pedro Sousa for a quarter-final spot. The Lisbon native overcame Radu Albot 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 37 minutes.

Defending champion David Ferrer also booked his place in the second round, beating ATP World Tour debutant Zdenek Kolar 6-2, 7-5.

The seventh seed, who has lifted the trophy in Bastad on three occasions, saved six of seven break points to advance after one hour and 31 minutes. Ferrer eased to a one-set lead, but was made to work hard in the second set by Kolar, who qualified for his first tour-level event without dropping a set.

The 36-year-old will need to overcome #NextGenATP Norwegian Casper Ruud in the second round. Ruud defeated fellow #NextGenATP star Jaume Munar 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-0 on Monday.

No. 8 seed John Millman needed just 51 minutes to join Verdasco and Ferrer in the second round, cruising past Guido Andreozzi 6-0, 6-2. Millman won 28 of 33 service points and converted five of six break opportunities to progress.

Millman will meet Federico Delbonis in the second round. The Argentine came from a set down to beat countryman Horacio Zeballos 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-2.

Swedish wild card Mikael Ymer saved all five break points he faced in an 80-minute 6-3, 6-3 triumph over 2015 quarter-finalist Denis Istomin. But brother Elias Ymer could not join him in the second round, as Brazilian Thiago Monteiro scored a 6-4, 6-2 win over the 22-year-old after 73 minutes.

“I played very solid,” said Mikael Ymer. “Thinking about the circumstances, playing at home and really wanting the win, I played pretty well. It is never easy. You want to win more than anything… For a first round, it is a very positive win.”

Did You Know?
In the past 16 editions of the SkiStar Swedish Open, the title has been captured by a Spaniard on nine occasions. Defending champion David Ferrer (3) and Tommy Robredo (2) have won multiple titles, while Carlos Moya, Rafael Nadal, Nicolas Almagro and Albert Ramos-Vinolas have also lifted the trophy in recent years.