SCHWIEBERDINGEN, January 13, 2016

The top seeds of the $10,000 ITF Future Südwestbank Tennis Grand Prix advanced to the second round in Schwieberdingen.

On Tuesday afternoon, the tournament’s number one Sebastian Boltz defeated his French compatriot Thibault Venturino 7-5, 6-1. The world number 291 won 83% of his first service points and converted five of his 11 break points to seal victory in one hour and 27 minutes. Boltz will face Czech Petr Michnev next.

In the evening hours, second seed Andreas Beck ousted Baris Erguden from Turkey, winning 7-6, 6-3. The former world number 33, who practices with former professionals Kevin and Louk Sorensen at Top Tennis Academy in Stuttgart, fired 12 aces and didn’t face a single break point to prevail in one hour and 19 minutes setting an all-German-affair with Tobias Simon in the second round.

Andreas Beck (photo: David King)

On Wednesday, Albano Olivetti celebrated a successful return to the courts after more than one year. In Schwieberdingen the currently unranked Frenchman is playing his first professional tennis tournament since Wimbledon 2014, being sidelined due to injury. Olivetti battled through the qualification and emerged victorious from his opening main draw match, winning 6-3, 6-3 over fellow qualifier Fran Zvonimir Zgombic. The 24-year-old from Haguenau smashed 16 aces and saved the only two break points he faced, capitalizing on three of his own to finish the encounter after 76 minutes.

With German Oscar Otte, Olivetti will face another qualifier on Thursday. The world number 482 from Cologne is in good shape, as Otte captured the National Championship title in Biberach last month.