Shevchenko Digs Deep To Beat Bonzi In Antwerp

Alexander Shevchenko prevailed in a tense clash with Benjamin Bonzi on Tuesday to make a winning start to his maiden European Open campaign in Antwerp.

The World No. 84 claimed a 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 6-3 first-round triumph against France’s Bonzi at the indoor ATP 250 in Belgium. Shevchenko’s aggressive approach paid off in the latter stages of the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head clash as he powered 46 winners to Bonzi’s 31.

It was a 10th tour-level win for Shevchenko, who had not won a match at that level prior to April in Barcelona. The 22-year-old, who reached a career-high No. 83 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in August, will take on Juan Pablo Varillas next after the Peruvian beat Fabian Marozsan 7-6(7), 6-4.

Also on Tuesday, #NextGenATP Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard claimed his maiden ATP Tour victory by upsetting sixth seed Roberto Carballes Baena 0-6, 6-3, 7-6(4). The 20-year-old Mpetshi Perricard, who made his tour-level debut as a wild card at Roland Garros in May, recovered from a nightmare start to set a second-round appointment with home favourite David Goffin.

Serving ? a shock ??@MpetshiG saves match point to take down (6) Carballes Baena for a maiden tour level triumph@EuroTennisOpen | #EuropeanOpen pic.twitter.com/xcLPLapEd7

Maximilian Marterer notched an early upset on his Antwerp debut as the German downed seventh seed Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-4. It was a second Top 100 win of the season for the 28-year-old Marterer, who will face countryman Dominik Koepfer or Nuno Borges next.

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