Former champion Daniil Medvedev crashed out of the Rotterdam 500 level on the opening day of the ABN AMRO Open at the hands of Ugo Humbert, who produced an excellent performance to dispatch the fourth seed 7-6(4) 3-6 6-3.
I know you have to play a lot of rallies against Daniil. I was ready to fight for every point and I did Ugo Humbert
With his left-handed serve and solid defense, the Frenchman saved all six break points he faced in the final set.
“This one is really great,” Humbert said of his two-hour, 22-minute victory. “My first win here, against Daniil… It’s a big win and I’m super happy. I lost the second set, but I knew I played well. It was a great match from start to finish. The last set was really solid. I played a great match.”
“I know you have to play a lot of rallies against Daniil. I was ready to fight for every point and I did that.”
Humbert is chasing his eighth Tour title this week and his fifth on indoor hard court. He will next face Dutch wildcard Guy Den Ouden or Marton Fucsovics.
(Photo by Bas CZERWINSKI/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)
Alex de Minaur, on the other hand, made a welcome return to Rotterdam, having now reached back-to-back finals in the last two years and will no doubt be hoping that this year will be third time lucky.
And the draw certainly handed him an opening Test round in the form of Arthur Fils, the exciting 20-year-old Frenchman who certainly put his game under the microscope before conceding the place in the second round 7-6(3) 6-2.
“It was never going to be easy. I told myself I was ready for a fight, ready for the challenge and excited about it,” De Minaur said. “I haven’t had that many easy matches this year and I see this as a challenge, which I enjoy. It forces me to be ready from the first point.”
Disappointment for Fils who took part in his second tournament after an eight-month layoff due to a back injury.
De Minaiur, the world number 8, will next be tested by Alexander Vukic or 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, who is on his farewell tour after announcing his retirement at the end of the season.
Earlier, seventh seed Tallon Greekpoor delighted his home crowd when he blunted the serve of the great Frenchman, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, to advance 6-4 6-4 to earn his 11th victory in the event in Rotterdam. The Dutchman will hope to extend that run when he faces Quentin Halys after the American defeated 18-year-old Mees Rottgering, a Dutch qualifier, 3-6 6-1 6-1 after one hour and 54 minutes.
Jan Lennar Struff made light of qualifier Hugo Grenier by beating the Frenchman 6-0 6-4 in just 64 minutes. The German veteran awaits Hubert Hurkacz or third seed Alexander Bublik in the second round.
In other first-round action, Cameron Norrie defeated Roberto Bautiats Agut 7-6(3, 6-1), setting up a second-round meeting with qualifier Christopher O’Connell, who saved a match point before triumphing over Frenchman Valentin Royer 6-4 4-6 7-6(4).
Also at home is hope Botic van de Zandschulp who ousted qualifier Luka Pavlovic 7-6(5) 6-3. The 30-year-old will next face Stefanos Tsitsipas or Arthur Rinderknech.
Spaniard Jaume Munar defeated 19-year-old Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 6-1, 6-3 in 71 minutes.
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