SEGOVIA, July 29, 2016
Mirza Basic caused the upset of the day at the €64,000 Open Castilla y León Challenger, knocking out the tournament’s top seed Nicolas Almagro. The fifth seed from Bosnia and Herzegovina rallied from a set down to seal a 5-7, 7-6, 7-6 victory in one hour and 52 minutes.
Basic will next take on Luca Vanni. The Italian veteran defeated Japanese teenager Akira Santillan 7-6, 6-3. Vanni saved all three break points he faced, converting one of his own to prevail in one hour and 29 minutes.
Illya Marchenko, who captured his fifth ATP Challenger title in Recanati last Sunday, ousted Kenny de Schepper 7-5, 6-4. The third favourite from the Ukraine won 73% of his first service points and broke his opponent serve four times to advance in one hour and 27 minutes.
“I had a good rest but I was pretty nervous today. It was not easy to feel the ball but I am happy with the win,” Marchenko told afterwards.
Marchenko will next play Marton Fucsovics. The eighth seed from Hungary beat Adrian Menendez Maceiras 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 in two hours and 33 minutes.