No. 5 seed Holger Rune returned from an injury scare a week ago and used a dominant serve to defeat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6 (7), 6-3 in the second round of the National Bank Open on Tuesday in Toronto.
The Dane, who withdrew from his opener at the D.C. Open in Washington last week because of back pain, had a first-round bye at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Canada. Rune hit 12 aces with just two double faults against his French opponent Tuesday.
Rune lost just eight of his service points on the day — converting 33 of 38 on his first serve and 18 of 21 on his second serve.
“I haven’t served like this in a while,” Rune said after the match. “I’ve been working on some small adjustments on my serve and it seems to be feeling good. It felt really good and I trusted it all the way.
“When (Mpetshi Perricard is) hitting those big serves, there’s not much to do, so it’s just about focusing on your own serve.”
Canadian Denis Shapovalov was an upset victim during evening play. The No. 22 seed struggled with his serve and suffered a 7-6 (4), 7-5 loss to Learner Tien. Shapovalov authored eight double faults and committed 23 unforced errors compared to 11 by the 19-year-old Tien.
Other seeded players were pushed Tuesday night, but did not fall. No. 10 Daniil Medvedev of Russia defeated Czechia lucky loser Dalibor Svrcina 7-6 (3), 6-4. Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, the No. 14 seed, needed three sets to reel in Spain’s Jaume Munar by a 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4 count. Portugal’s Nuno Borges, the No. 30 seed, prevailed 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-2 over qualifier Facundo Bagnis of Argentina.
In late night action, top-seeded Alexander Zverev survived a grueling first set tie-breaker and defeated Australia’s Adam Walton, 7-6 (6), 6-4. The German, competing for the first time since a shocking Wimbledon first-round exit, fell behind, 5-3, in the breaker, won a 52-shot rally at 5-5 and prevailed in the 57-minute first set. He served for the match at 5-3 and was broken, but recovered to break Walton’s serve and capture the match.
Zverev will face No. 32 Matteo Arnaldi in the next round. The Italian had a difficult time, but finally prevailed over Australian qualifier Tristan Schoolkate, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Arnaldi broke in the second game of the deciding set and built a 5-1 lead. Schoolkate made 38 unforced errors in the match.
No. 16 Tomas Machac fell to Reilly Opelka, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 6-3. Opelka ripped off 24 service aces in the match.
In early action Tuesday, seeded players generally prevailed in straight sets.
Italian No. 3 seed Lorenzo Musetti took down Australian qualifier James Duckworth 7-5, 6-1. No. 8 seed Casper Ruud of Norway beat Russia’s Roman Safiullin 6-3, 6-3, and Russian No. 11 seed Karen Khachanov eliminated Argentine qualifier Juan Pablo Ficovich 6-4, 6-2.
Musetti saved both break points he faced and won 90 percent of his first-service points (27 of 30).
The only upset from early action featured Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina defeating No. 24 seed Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Only one match from the early slate went three sets. No. 29 Alexandre Muller of France rallied past Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Others who advanced to the Round of 32 included No. 18 seed Alexei Popyrin of Australia, No. 26 seed Alex Michelsen and qualifier Emilio Nava. In a Round of 128 match, Frenchman Corentin Moutet dismissed Jenson Brooksby 6-2, 6-1.
–Field Level Media
