IRVING, March 16, 2016
The favourites at the $125,000 BMW Of Dallas Irving Tennis Classic started their title bid on Wednesday.
Second seed Gilles Muller is the highest ranked player left in the draw, after world number 38 Guillermo Garcia-López was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to illness. Muller opened his Irving campaign successfully with a comfortable 6-4, 6-3 victory over British qualifier Cameron Norris in 63 minutes. The world number 45 from Luxembourg will play Diego Schwartzman next.
Frances Tiafoe won the “battle of the generations” with 34-year-old German Benjamin Becker. The US-American teenager hit five aces and capitalized on five of his six break points to prevail in one hour and three minutes. Tiafoe will face lucky loser Giovanni Lapentti, who overcame Jason Jung 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 in two hours and 26 minutes.
Third seed Lukas Rosol fought off German qualifier Jakob Sude, who appeared in his first main draw match on Challenger level, winning 6-2, 7-6. The world number 50 from Prague withstood 10 aces, hitting four of his own to seal victory in 65 minutes.
“It’s always nice to come back here if you have winning memories of the last two years, you know. So, hopefully I can win a couple more matches this year as well and I hope I will play the same level like I did the first round today,” Rosol told, facing Denis Istomin next.
Fourth seed Aljaz Bedene defeated Santiago’s runner-up Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-3, 6-2. The world number 51 from Great Britain saved all five break points he faced, converting three of his own to prevail in 64 minutes. Bedene will play Russian wild card Dmitry Tursonov next.
Mischa Zverev
The tournament’s number eight Illya Marchenko fought back against German qualifier Philipp Petzschner, winning 6-7, 7-6, 6-3. The world number 72 from the Ukraine hit seven aces and won 75% of his first service points to finish the battle after two hours and 49 minutes to take on Ivan Dodig in the second round, who ousted Jozef Kovalik 6-2, 6-2.
Mischa Zverev knocked out sixth seed Denis Kudla 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, converting on both of his two break point chances to advance after one hour and 34 minutes.
“I’m happy, I played well in the third, and it’s my first victory in the main draw in Irving so far,” the 28-year-old German told afterwards. He will take on Marcel Granollers next.
