ATP roundup: Top seeds Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud upset in Sweden

 

[July 18, 2024]  No. 1 seed Andrey Rublev of Russia and No. 2 seed Casper Ruud of Norway were both sent packing in the second round of the Nordea Open on Wednesday in Bastad, Sweden.

Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina -- the No. 121-ranked player in the world -- prevailed in three sets over World No. 8 Rublev, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4. Winning the first-set tiebreaker was key for Tirante, as Rublev finished the match with a 101-98 edge in total points. Tirante broke Rublev's serve in the third game of the third set and sailed from there.

Brazil's Thiago Monteiro, ranked 85th in the world, upset World No. 9 Ruud 6-3, 6-3. Ruud had more aces (7-2) but forced only one break point and didn't convert. Monteiro was 3 of 6 on break-point conversions and fired more winners, 32-19.

Croatian qualifier Duje Ajdukovic knocked off eighth-seeded Pavel Kotov of Russia 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-3, and Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena also went three sets to eliminate Kazakhstan qualifier Denis Yevseyev 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Hamburg Open

A lingering knee injury didn't prevent defending champion Alexander Zverev from cruising past Jesper de Jong 6-2, 6-2 in the opening round in Germany.

Playing in his home country, top-seeded Zverev has a bone edema and tear in the capsule in his left knee resulting from a fall in a third-round win over Cameron Norrie at Wimbledon.

Zverev, ranked No. 4 in the world, did not face a break point, converted 4 of 5 break-point opportunities and had far more winners (29-6) against de Jong of the Netherlands.

Third-seeded Sebastian Baez of Argentina rallied past Serbia's Dusan Lajovic 4-6, 7-5, 6-2; fourth-seeded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina crushed German wild card Maximilian Marterer 6-0, 6-2 in 68 minutes; seventh-seeded Luciano Darderi of Italy topped Kazakhstan's Alexander Shevchenko 6-3, 2-6, 6-3; and Spain's Pedro Martinez beat French qualifier Ugo Blanchet 6-4, 0-6, 7-5.

Swiss Open Gstaad

Top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece saved all five break points in defeating Hamad Medjedovic of Serbia 7-6 (6), 6-3 in the second round in Switzerland.

Tsitsipas powered 11 aces and won 13 of 18 (72.2 percent) net points, to 5 of 15 (33.3 percent) for Medjedovic.

Fourth-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina was a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 winner over Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands; fifth-seeded Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany won a battle with Switzerland's Leandro Riedi 7-6 (6), 7-6 (1); and seventh-seeded Fabio Fognini of Italy rallied past Peruvian qualifier Juan Pablo Varillas 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5.

Infosys Hall of Fame Open

Reilly Opelka fired 19 aces to just one double fault in upsetting top seed Adrian Mannarino of France 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the second round in Newport, R.I.

The 6-foot-11 American wild card recorded more winners (37-12) with a maximum service speed of 141 mph. Each player converted two break points.

Opelka, who's been ranked as high as No. 17 in the world, is now ranked 1,188th amid his comeback following a two-year absence due to hip surgery and two wrist injuries.

No. 3 seed Alex Michelsen ousted fellow American Maxime Cressy 6-4, 6-4; No. 6 seed Aleksandar Vukic of Australia beat American Eliot Spizzirri 6-2, 7-6 (3); American Aleksandar Kovacevic upset seventh-seeded Arthur Rinderknech of France 6-3, 3-6, 7-5; and American Mackenzie McDonald beat British qualifier Billy Harris 6-3, 6-4.

--Field Level Media

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