MESTRE, May 17, 2016

For the third time the ATP Challenger Tour has returned to Mestre, the most populated municipality among those making up the metropolitan area of Venice, with the €42,500 XIV Venice Challenger Save Cup. Four players ranked inside the top 100 headline the event and opened their title bid on Tuesday.

Number one seed Paolo Lorenzi dismissed Bastian Trinker 1-6, 6-1, 7-5. The 34-year-old Italian won 66% of his first service points and capitalized on six of his nine break point chances to finish the encounter after one hour and 54 minutes. Lorenzi will continue his Mestre campaign against qualifier Nicolas Jarry from Chile.

Second seed Dusan Lajovic rallied from a set down to overcome Jose Pereira 2-6, 7-6, 6-2. The world number 75 from Serbia won 101 of the 197 total points played to prevail in two hours and 12 minutes. Lajovic will face José Hernandez-Fernandez next.

The tournament’s number two Horacio Zeballos also had to fight hard, battling past Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. The 31-year-old from Argentina withstood eight aces, hitting seven of his own to advance in two hours and 28 minutes. Zeballos will take on Robin Stenak in the second round.

Fourth seed Gastao Elias eased past Oriol Roca Batalla 6-1 , 6-3. The world number 98 from Portugal saved six of the seven break points he faced, converting five of his own to secure victory in one hour and 11 minutes. Elias will next play Czech qualifier Marek Michalicka, who defeated Ernesto Escobedo 6-4, 6-2.