ATP Los Cabos: Thanasi Kokkinakis scores first win since that Federer one
Former world no. 69 Thanasi Kokkinakis scored the first ATP win since Miami 2018 when he stunned Roger Federer, beating a qualifier Maxime Janvier 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 31 minutes. The finalist here two years ago, Kokkinakis repelled eight out of nine break points, limiting the damage in his games and securing three breaks to move over the top and grab a much-needed victory. The Aussie settled into an excellent rhythm right from the beginning, breaking Janvier in the very first game of the match, serving well in the rest of the set for a 6-4. They traded breaks in games seven and eight in set number two and Thanasi claimed another one at 4-4, fending off three break chances in game ten to seal the deal and enter the last 16. After reaching the semi-final in Newport, Marcel Granollers stayed on the winning course in Los Cabos too, demolishing Lucas Gomez 6-0, 6-1in 52 minutes.
World no. 492 stood no chance against the Spaniard, winning five points on the return and getting broken five times to push Marcel through, with the Spaniard taking the first seven games and closing the encounter soon after that. Prajnesh Gunneswaran took down John Millman 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 in an hour and 49 minutes, winning one point more than his rival and converting five out of 16 break points to race into the second round with a great performance in the decider. The Indian kicked off the match in a stronger fashion, closing the opener with two good holds before Millman took charge in set number two with three straight breaks to set up the decider. There, Gunneswaran returned to his best, sailing through his service games and stealing Millman's serve in games four and eight to grab the fourth ATP win of the season.
The 8th seed Mikhail Kukushkin defeated Damir Dzumhur 7-5 6-2 in an hour and 35 minutes, saving seven out of eight break chances and stealing the rival's serve on four occasions to progress without spending too much time on the court. Former top-10 player Ernests Gulbis ousted Jason Jung 6-4, 7-6 in an hour and 43 minutes, playing on a very high level to save all three break points and deliver the first victory since Geneva and eight straight losses. Jung missed his chances on the return and in the pivotal moments overall, facing only one break point that cost him the opener at 4-5 and losing the second set tie break to push Gulbis over the top.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2MzIq67
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