ORTISEI, November 9, 2016

Lorenzo Sonego of Italy caused the upset of the day at the €64,000 ATP Challenger Val Gardena by knocking out the tournament’s top seeded German Benjamin Becker in the second round on Wednesday.

The world number 323 didn’t face a break point, winning all of his 29 first service points to secure a 6-1, 7-6 victory in 66 minutes. Sonego will next face compatriot Federico Gaio. The seventh favourite defeated Nikola Milojevic of Serbia 6-3, 6-4 after one hour and 14 minutes.

Second seed Evgeny Donskoy also fell in the second round. The 26-year-old Russian lost to Kevin Krawietz from Germany 6-3, 4-6, 6-7. Krawietz sent down 10 aces and was more solid on his second serve, winning 61 per cent of the points to prevail in just under two hours of play.

“I won in the tie-break of the final set. That’s always a bit lucky, but I feel that I am in good shape at the moment,” told Krawietz, who advanced to the stage of the final four in Eckental last week.

The 24-year-old German will next take on Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia, who took out the tournament’s number eight Pedja Krstin from Serbia, winning 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 after two hours and one minute.