Vukic Sets Musetti Showdown In Pune
Australian Aleksandar Vukic rallied past Frenchman Hugo Grenier 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) on Tuesday at the Tata Open Maharashtra to set a second-round showdown against second seed Lorenzo Musetti. The World No. 140 is looking forward to the opportunity.
“He’s one of the youngsters who are really trying to crack through,” Vukic said. “It will be a great match, but I’m feeling good and it will be a good match either way.”
It took a big effort for the 25-year-old, who reached the second round at the Australian Open, to earn his spot in the second round in Pune. Vukic needed two hour and 21 minutes to advance.
“[It was] very, very physical. I thought I played a pretty sloppy first set, but then started to find some form,” Vukic said. “Dug out a few games, got up 3-1 in the third and credit to him, he kept fighting and he broke me back then. Honestly could have gone either way, but always that first match is so tough, so very happy with it.”
[WATCH LIVE 1]In other action, sixth seed Emil Ruusuvuori clawed through a tight second set to defeat Belarusian Egor Gerasimov 6-0, 7-6(11). The Finnish star will next face Czech Vit Kopriva, who eliminated Turkey’s Cem Ilkel 6-4, 6-1.
Portuguese veteran Joao Sousa, the former World No. 28, battled past Indian wild card Arjun Kadhe 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-2 in two hours and 26 minutes.
“It was a tough match today against a local player. I knew I was perhaps a little bit better on my level, but it was definitely a tough match after being a set down and a very close second set,” Sousa said. “In the end I was able to hit some good shot to get my level a little bit higher.”