#NextGen Kyle Edmund squeaked by Ukrainian Illya Marchenko 7-6(7), 7-6(5) during his European Open debut on Tuesday in Antwerp. The 21-year-old Brit won 67 per cent of his service points and benefitted from 13 Marchenko double faults. Edmund, who's playing at a career-high No. 43 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, will next play second seed David Ferrer, who received a first-round bye. [ALSO LIKE] Argentine Diego Schwartzman survived a tight contest as well, beating seventh seed Nicolas Mahut 7-6(2), 7-5. Schwartzman converted all four of his break points and will play #NextGen star Taylor Fritz or Belgian wild card Joris De Loore in the second round. Romanian qualifier Marius Copil recorded only his fourth tour-level match win of the season...
Italian Andreas Seppi kicked off the inaugural European Open in Antwerp on Monday with a 7-6(7), 5-7, 6-3 upset against eighth seed Federico Delbonis. The 32-year-old Seppi will next face Robin Haase, who beat Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 6-2. Seppi will look to turn around his season in Belgium this week. He has fallen to No. 100 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, his lowest ranking since 9 July, 2007 when he was No. 111. [ALSO LIKE] Spaniard Inigo Cervantes set up a second-round contest with Frenchman Richard Gasquet after outlasting 36-year-old German qualifier Michael Berrer 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in one hour and 32 minutes. The third-seeded Gasquet is going for his second ATP World Tour title of the season. He beat...
What’s the best way to celebrate being a new ambassador for Maui Jim? How about mixing up a drink in a coconut! Monday in Antwerp, David Goffin’s smoothie skills were put to the test during a media event to announce him as a new ambassador for the sunglass brand. At the Maui Jim Flying Jimmy booth near the European Open Practice Court, Goffin, who is No. 10 in the Emirates ATP Race To London, made the quintessential Maui Jim smoothie: mango, yoghurt, honey, lime, ginger and chia seeds on top with a violet flower served in a fresh coconut! The Belgian later picked out some new shades and gifted some to the journalists in attendance. I am delighted to belong...
Race to London Moves Indoors: After an exciting three weeks of action in Asia, the three week, six tournament European indoor circuit leading into the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals begins with the inaugural tournament in Antwerp along with traditional events in Moscow and Stockholm. Overall, there are seven of the Top 20 players in the Emirates ATP Race to London competing. The top two seeds in Antwerp are Belgian No. 1 David Goffin and David Ferrer. In Moscow, the top seeds are Spaniards Roberto Bautista Agut and Albert Ramos-Vinolas. In Stockholm, the top seeds are former champions Gael Monfils and Grigor Dimitrov. Emirates ATP Race to London Update: Seven of the Top 20 players in the Emirates ATP Race...