ATP Paris: Borna Coric and Pablo Carreno Busta make winning start

Following a solid effort against Novak Djokovic last week in Vienna, the 15th seed Borna Coric is off to a winning start in Paris. The Croat took down a qualifier Marton Fucsovics 7-6, 6-1 in an hour and 46 minutes, securing the 50th Masters 1000 victory. Coric had to work hard in the opener, coming from 3-0 down in the tie break and raising his level in set number two to march over the finish line and enter the second round. The Croat saved three out of four break chances (three in the first game of the second set alone), delivering three breaks and clinching the season's 16th victory. Borna drew first blood in the third game, breaking Marton at love with a backhand down the line winner before losing serve in the next one after a backhand error. Both players served well in the following eight games, setting up a tie break where the Hungarian opened a 3-0 advantage. Borna won the next four points to get back on track, earning two set points with a drop shot winner at 5-4 and converting the second thanks to Marton's backhand mistake.

The Croat saved three break points in the first game of the second set and never looked back, delivering a break in game two and opening a 4-1 gap when Marton netted a forehand in game five. Coric secured another break at 4-1 and moved over the top with a hold at 15. The 9th seed Pablo Carreno Busta grabbed the 33rd Masters 1000 triumph, beating the Roland Garros sensation Hugo Gaston 6-3, 6-2 in 69 minutes. The Spaniard lost serve once at the beginning of the encounter, taking charge after that and stealing the youngster's serve four times from 13 opportunities. Carreno Busta had 24 winners and 22 unforced errors, dominating the shortest and mid-range exchanges to control the scoreboard and sail into the second round.

Borna Coric and Pablo Carreno Busta will compete in the second round in Paris.

The Frenchman made the best start, breaking the Spaniard at love in the opening game and moving 2-0 in front after a terrible backhand from the 9th seed. Carreno Busta fended off a break chance in game three to end his downfall, pulling the break back a few minutes later to level the score at 2-2.

The Spaniard secured another break at 3-2 when Gaston's drop shot failed to reach the net and closed the set with a service winner in game nine for 6-3 after 33 minutes. Pablo fired a forehand winner to earn a break at the beginning of the second set, wasted four more opportunities at 2-0 and made another break at 3-1 when Hugo hit a double fault. The Frenchman saved two match points on serve at 1-5 before the Spaniard sealed the deal with an unreturned serve on his sixth match point in game eight. Jan-Lennard Struff toppled the struggling Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 6-2, getting broken twice but converting five out of 18 chances on the return to move over the top in straight sets. Jordan Thompson grabbed the fifth Masters 1000 victory, ousting Federico Delbonis 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 18 minutes, dropping only 11 points behind the initial shot and producing four breaks to advance into the next round. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2HVuzqf