MANERBIO, August 23, 2016

The first round of the €42,500 ATP Challenger in Manerbio concluded on Tuesday with the tournament’s top seeds in action. World number 91 and lone top 100 player in the singles draw Gerald Melzer made a winning start with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Italian teenager Andrea Pellegrino.

The 26-year-old from Austria broke the wild card’s service five times to advance in 71 minutes. Melzer will next play Walter Trusendi. The Italian qualifier benefited from the retirement of Clement Geens due to low back pain, leading 6-1, 3-0.

Second favourite and last Sunday’s champion from Cordenons Taro Daniel continued his good run with a 7-6, 6-2 victory over Jan Mertl. The 23-year-old from Japan sent down six aces, winning 63% of his first service points to prevail in one hour and 49 minutes. Daniel will next take on Fabiano De Paulo, who fought past Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6, 6-7, 7-5.

Lorenzo Sonego knocked out the tournament’s number three Andrej Martin, winning 6-3, 6-2. The 21-year-old Italian saved six of the seven break points he faced, capitalizing on five of his own to secure victory in one hour and 33 minutes. Next up for the wild card is Nils Langer. The German ousted sixth seed Marco Cecchinato with a 6-4, 6-4 win in 71 minutes.

Fifth seed Daniel Gimeno-Traver also advanced to the second round, winning 6-2, 6-2 over Frederico Ferreira Silva, joined by the Manerbio’s number five Leonardo Mayer, who beat Laurynas Grigelis 6-4, 6-2.