GENOVA, September 5, 2017

Laslo Djere and Marton Fucsovics are the first seeded players to reach the second round of the €127,000 AON Open Challenger – Memorial Giorgio Messina, held on clay at the Centro Tennis di Valletta Cambiaso in Genova.

Djere fought past Italian qualifier Gianluca Di Nicola 6-1, 5-7, 6-4. The tournament’s number four from Serbia sent down five aces, winning 65 per cent of the first service points to prevail after exactly two hours of play. Djere will next take on the winner of the encounter between Elias Ymer from Sweden and Hungarian Attila Balazs.

Fucsovics, who already captured two ATP Challenger titles this season in Vicenza and Ilkley, eased past Salvatore Caruso of Italy 6-1, 6-1. The eighth favourite from Budapest saved all of the three break points he faced, converting five of his own to secure victory in one hour and 10 minutes. Next up for Fucsovics will be German qualifier Tim Puetz, who beat Federico Gaio 7-6, 6-1.

Alexey Vatutin knocked out sixth seed Renzo Olivo of Argentina. The 24-year-old Russian won 59 per cent of the total points played to celebrate a 7-5, 6-2 win after one hour and 33 minutes. Vatutin will next face Italian wild card entry Matteo Donati, who ousted qualifier Andrea Pellegrino 6-3, 6-4.