Dominic Stricker is getting back on track. The 22-year-old Bernese (ATP 317) beat the American Aleksandar Kovacecic (ATP 90) on Monday in the first round of the Stockholm tournament, in three sets (6-4 5-7 6-4).
Stricker, who missed the first half of the season with a back injury, had only won one match on the ATP Tour this year (in August in Winston-Salem). This victory allows him to reassure himself after his abandonment two weeks ago in the first round of the Tiburon Challenger (United States), where he thought he would relapse after the appearance of severe back pain.
The eighth finalist of the 2023 US Open showed resilience against an opponent he had already beaten during a Challenger in Bienne in 2022. He successfully pounded the one-handed backhand of the American from 26 to take the first set before conceding the break and the set at the end of the second set.
In the deciding set, Stricker corrected his shot and converted one of his six break points to finally win in 2h20′ of play. In the second round, the Bernese will face an Italian: Matteo Berrettini (ATP 42) or Luciano Darderi (ATP 44).
Hüsler s’incline
Entered at the same stage as his compatriot, Marc-Andrea Hüsler (ATP 152) did not overcome the Lorenzo Sonego (ATP 50) obstacle. The Zuricher lost 7-6 (7/1) 7-5 in 112 minutes.
In a match between two strong servers, Hüsler did not go far. However, he lost his footing in the tie-break after twelve games where the two opponents did not concede a single break point.
And in the second set, Hüsler benefited from a break point when he led 2-1. The Zurich resident finally lost his serve at 5-5 on the only break point of the match for the Transalpine who will meet Casper Ruud in the next round.
/ATS
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