Madrid - ATP 1st round continues

More first round matches in Madrid were completed in the men’s draw, leaving 12 to be contested.

Mutua Madrid Open - an ATP Masters 1000 category tournament, on Red Clay, in Madrid, Spain,  4-11 May 2019.

Defending champion:

Alexander Zverev (2) who defeated Dominic Thiem (5) 6-4 6-4

First round:

- Qualifier Reilly Opelka v Pablo Carreño Busta 

This was the first meeting between the two players. The Spaniard had six years more experience but Opelka had a 23 cm height advantage. How the American’s big serve may translate into an advantage on the clay, Carreño Busta’s favourite surface, was one of the key questions to be answered in this clash. Carreño Busta was seeking his first match win since suffering a shoulder injury in February.

Opelka served first and he held comfortably, as did Busta. 1-1. From 30-30 in game three, two big serves from Opelka allowed him first to put away a winner at the net, then next strike an off forehand winner on the final point. 

Carreño Busta was taken to deuce but the stay was brief and he levelled with a forced Opelka backhand error and a finishing ace. Two service holds followed, a single point surrendered by each player in those games. 3–3.

Opelka led 30-15 in the crucial seventh game, but a pair of double faults, and a poor volley error donated a break point to Carreño Busta. Saved with an ace. A brilliant touch half volley and a big serve won the game and Opelka led 4-3. He was back at the line in an instant, the Spaniard racing through a love game, errors from the American of great assistance. 4-4.

Carreño Busta dished up two more love games, and Opelka dropped just two points in two service games, forcing the score to 6-6 and requiring a tie break.

Points were on serve until Opelka stole the third and led 2-1, thanks to backhands - down line the line then cross court. Carreño Busta had it back on serve when an Opelka forehand found the net. From there all points went to the server until 5-5. Carreño Busta hit a relatively simple volley into the net and handed Opelka a set point. A rally full of great defence from the Spaniard came to a bitter end when Opelka was blessed with a lucky net cord.

He won the set 7-6(5).

Carreño Busta opened set two holding serve, but it was a struggle. After leading 30-15, he lost two straight points and faced a break point, which was saved.

Not so lucky in game five, where the same scenario applied - 30-15 lead, slipping to break point down. This time Opelka converted and led 3-2.

The American lost only two more points on his serve for the match. He won 20 of 24 points on his serve for the set, and this was the basis for his victory.

Reilly Opelka won 7-6(5) 6-4.

- Qualifier Taylor Fritz defeated Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(8) 7-6(4)

- Marin Cilic (9) defeated qualifier Martin Klizan 6-4 2-6 7-6(0)

- Laslo Djere defeated Dusan Lajovic 6-4 6-4

- Richard Gasquet defeated wildcard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-5 7-6(5)

- Gaël Monfils (15) defeated Andreas Seppi 6-3 6-1

- Fernando Verdasco defeated Radu Albot 6-2 3-6 6-1

- Karen Khachanov (11) defeated wildcard Jaume Munar 6-4 6-7(5) 6-3

- Frances Tiafoe defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili (14) 6-7(8) 6-3 6-4

- Philipp Kohlschreiber defeated Mikhail Kukushkin 6-2 7-6(5)