Felix Leads #NextGenATP Charge In Gstaad

The #NextGenATP is coming, and two impressive performances on Monday at the J. Safra Sarasin Swiss Open Gstaad proved it.

Seventeen-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime earned the third tour-level match win of his career, defeating Argentine Guido Andreozzi 6-3, 7-6(3) in one hour, 31 minutes. The World No. 139, who hit eight aces and won 80 per cent of first-serve points in the match, will next face fifth seed Robin Haase or lucky loser Viktor Galovic.

Auger-Aliassime was the first player born in the 2000s to compete in an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event at the BNP Paribas Open earlier this year, when he captured his first tour-level victory against compatriot Vasek Pospisil. The teenager earned his second win in Umag last week before falling in three sets against defending champion and fellow #NextGenATP star Andrey Rublev.

But the Canadian was not the only #NextGenATP player to impress on day one in Gstaad. Jaume Munar stormed into the second round, dropping just one game to beat countryman Adrian Menendez-Maceiras 6-1, 6-0. Munar won 70 per cent of second-serve return points and converted five of 15 break point chances en route to a 67-minute win. Munar will meet second seed Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round.

Roberto Carballes Baena made a strong debut in Switzerland, beating seventh seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6(3), 6-2.

The 25-year-old Spaniard, who lifted his maiden ATP World Tour title at the Ecuador Open in February, needed just 89 minutes to move past the 2008 semi-finalist. Carballes Baena won 75 per cent of service points and converted three of eight break-point opportunities to secure his 11th tour-level victory of the season.

Carballes Baena will face Taro Daniel of Japan for a spot in the quarter-finals. The TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open titlist edged Elias Ymer 7-6(9), 7-5.

In an all-qualifier clash, Jurgen Zopp squeezed past German Yannick Hanfmann 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4). Zopp will face defending champion and newly crowned SkiStar Swedish Open winner Fabio Fognini for a place in the last eight.

Did You Know?
Fabio Fognini is bidding to become the first man to win back-to-back titles at the J. Safra Sarasin Swiss Open Gstaad since Sergi Bruguera. The Spaniard won three consecutive titles at the event between 1992 and 1994.