Dennis Novak was the first Austrian to bow out of the Erste Bank Open main draw on Wednesday. Novak lost to Frenchman Gael Monfils after taking the first set in three sets.
Novak got out of the starting gates extremely well, breaking Monfils twice and winning the first set 6-2. In the second set, everything was also still looking like a win for Novak, but a late break changed the momentum in the match and Monfils went on to win the match in three sets 2-6, 7-7, 6-3.
Shapovalov and Coric out
The Canadian Denis Shapovalov, last Sunday winner in Stockholm, lost to Spaniard Pablo Carreno-Busta 3-6, 5-7.
It was a close shave for his fellow tournament winner Andrey Rublev (winner in Moscow) who defeated lucky loser Alexander Bublik – he took the spot of injured Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) – in three sets. After losing the first set 1-6, Bublik battled back and took the second in the tiebreak. The third had again to be decided in the tiebreak, this time with the better end for Rublev, who advanced to the second round with a 6-1, 6-7(3), 7-6 win.
Rublev’s opponent in the Moscow final, Adrian Mannarino, was quickly ousted, as American Sam Querrey beat him 6-3, 6-4. To round things out, there was also an upset of a seeded player, as Borna Coric (CRO/8) lost to Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) 4-6, 4-6.
Berrettini and Khachanov through to quarterfinals
In an extremely good and exciting tiebreak thriller the number 3 of the tournament, Italian Matteo Berrettini, caem through on top against another semifinalist of the US Open in Grigor Dimitrov. Berrettini didn’t have to save a single break point during the whole match, while Dimitrov saved 4. In the end it was 7-6(5), 7-6(1) for Berrettini.
In the final match of the day, Karen Khachanov (RUS/2) benefitted from a w.o. of Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics. Khachanov advanced to the quarterfinals after 2:15 hours 6-3, 4-6, 4-1 w.o.