Donskoy Saves 2 M.P., Bedene Advances In Bastad
Donskoy Saves 2 M.P., Bedene Advances In Bastad
Five Swedes feature in the main draw – the most since 2008
Evgeny Donskoy saved two match points to prevail in an all-Russian first-round clash at the SkiStar Swedish Open on Monday. Eight seed Donskoy knocked out #NextGen star Karen Khachanov 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 on Centre Court in two hours and 30 minutes of play, having saved two match points at 5-6 in the second set. He is now 12-17 on the season.
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Later in the day, sixth seed Aljaz Bedene overcame a second-set wobble to overcome local wild card Isak Arvidsson 6-4, 7-6(4) in one hour and 34 minutes. Bedene led 5-1 in the second set, which included four service breaks, and closed out on his third match point opportunity.
Argentine Facundo Bagnis dropped a set but ultimately prevailed against Estonia’s Jurgen Zopp 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-1. The 26-year-old Bagnis, No. 93 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, erased all 10 break points during the one-hour and 51-minute match. Bagnis next will play fourth seed Marcel Granollers of Spain for the first time.
In the lone doubles match of the day, Julio Peralta of Chile and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina beat Swedish wild cards Markus Eriksson and Milos Sekulic 6-3, 6-3 in 54 minutes.
Two-time champion David Ferrer and Joao Sousa, the 2014 finalist, lead the Bastad field, which was completed on Monday by Calvin Hemery, Christian Lindell, Henri Laaksonen and Tristan Lamasine, who all qualified for the main draw at the ATP World Tour 250 event in the beach resort.