HEILBRONN, May 15, 2017

The first day of main draw action at the €64,000 NECKARCUP got underway on Monday, highlighted by the intense battle between Tobias Kamke of Germany and US-American teenager Stefan Kozlov.

In the pair’s first meeting, Kamke won 67 per cent of his first service points and broke serve five times to notch a 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 victory in two hours and 46 minutes. The 30-year-old German will next take on either qualifier Filip Krajinovic from Serbia or fifth seeded Swiss Henri Laaksonen. Second favourite Evgeny Donskoy is also in this half of the draw.

German youngster and wild card entry Daniel Altmaier lost his opening match to Steven Diez. The World No. 181 from Canada capitalized on three of his six break point chances to advance in one hour and 22 minutes. Next up for Diez will be the winner of the encounter between fourth seed Norbert Gombos from Slovakia and German wild card Daniel Brands.

Marton Fucsovics knocked out the tournament’s number three Adam Pavlasek from the Czech Republic, winning 6-2, 7-5. The 25-year-old Hungarian saved four of the five break points he faced, converting four of his own to prevail in one hour and 19 minutes. Fucsovics awaits the winner of the match between Uladzimir Ignatik from Belarus and Belgian Kimmer Coppejans.

In the evening session, #NextGenATP star Casper Ruud defeated Turkish wild card Marsel Ilhan 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. The 18-year-old from Norway won 80 per cent of his first service points and 57 per cent of the total points played to seal victory in one hour and 17 minutes. Ruud will next face Mirza Basic from Bosnia and Herzegovina.