The man from Malaga Alexander Davidovich and Roberto Bautista This Monday they became the first Spaniards to advance in the Paris Masters 1,000, on the day the tournament began.
Davidovich gave the shock by defeating the American in three sets Ben Shelton, 15th favorite, to add his thirtieth victory in Masters 1,000 by 7-6(4), 5-7 and 6-3. It is the fifth time this season that the tennis player from La Cala del Moral, 24 years old and current 28th in the world, defeats a top 20 player.
Very feisty during the two and a half hours that the match lasted, The man from Malaga dominated Shelton with a good percentage of first serves against a rival who seemed to suffer some pain in his arm and who, despite everything, managed up to 15 direct aces.
His next rival in a tournament in which he reached the round of 16 in 2020 will be the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoorwho beat the American 6(2)-7, 63 and 6-4 Christopher Eubanks. In the only confrontation between the two, in the first round of Roland Garros last 2022, the Dutchman won in four sets: 2-6, 6-0, 6-4 and 6-3. To overcome it, Davidovich could meet Serbian Novak Djokovicnumber 1 in the world and finalist of the last edition in a tournament that he seeks to win for the seventh time.
Bautista had fewer problems overcoming his first turn against the Czech Jiri Lehecka6-4 and 6-2, to face in the second round against the winner of the match between the Polish Hubert Hurkaczeleventh seed, and the American Sebastian Korda.