Laaksonen Fights Back For Bellucci Win In Gstaad

Swiss Henri Laaksonen won the match of the day at the J. Safra Sarasin Swiss Open Gstaad on Wednesday in a three-hour comeback victory over two-time former champion Thomaz Bellucci.

Laaksonen first held a match point opportunity at 5-4 in the second set, when Bellucci served at 30/40. Bellucci recovered and went on to take a 5-2 lead in the decider, but the Brazilian won just four points in the next five games as World No. 95 Laaksonen wrapped up a memorable 7-6(2), 6-7(4), 7-5 win. Bellucci captured the Gstaad title in 2009 as a qualifier (d. Becker) and in 2012 (d. Tipsarevic).

Earlier in the day, Roberto Bautista Agut lost just nine of his service points in a 6-4, 6-3 second-round victory over French qualifier Gleb Sakharov in 84 minutes. The second-seeded Spaniard will next face Denis Istomin, who hit 11 aces and lost only four of his service points in a 40-minute 6-3, 6-1 victory.

Sixth seed and 2013, 2016 runner-up Robin Haase did not face a break point in a 7-5, 7-5 win over Thiago Monteiro in just over 90 minutes. He now awaits the winner of top seed David Goffin, the 2015 finalist, or Radu Albot in the last eight. Albot defeated 2013 champion and former World No. 8 Mikhail Youzhny on Tuesday.

Paolo Lorenzi endured a tense wait for a place in the second round. The fifth seed, who reached last week’s Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag final (l. to Rublev) beat Marco Chiudinelli 7-6(2), 6-2. Lorenzi failed to convert three set points opportunities at 5-2, two at 5-4, but finally sealed his sixth set point chance in the tie-break. The Italian will next challenge Ernests Gulbis, who knocked out qualifier Daniel Brands 6-4, 6-4 in 82 minutes.

 Watch Live On TennisTV

 Watch Full Match Replays