STOCKHOLM, October 17, 2017

Singles play began at the Intrum Stockholm Open on Tuesday with Hamburg champion Leonardo Mayer, Gstaad champion Fabio Fognini, Antalya champion Yuichi Sugita and Chengdu champion Denis Istomin in action.

However, it was the local favourite and Swedish wild card entry Elias Ymer, who delighted the home crowd, as he beat Leonard Mayer 4-6, 6-3, 5-7. The #NextGenATP player sent down seven aces, winning 78 per cent of his first service points to seal victory in two hours and eight minutes.

“It’s always special to win in front of your home crowd and family,” Ymer was pleased afterwards. “Of course it is a big achievement for me to beat a good player like Leonardo and I would like to continue like this. Today I used the support of the crowd. I am getting used to it and gain confidence of it, but I still have to work hard.”

Fabio Fognini and Malek Jaziri

Ymer will next take on Fabio Fognini, who beat Malek Jaziri of Tunisia 7-5, 6-1. The sixth seed from Italy won 82 per cent of his first service points to advance in one hour and 13 minutes.

Yuichi Sugita rallied past Denis Istomin from Uzbekistan 1-6, 6-3, 7-6. The 29-year-old from Japan withstood 15 aces, hitting three of his own to prevail after one hour and 55 minutes. Next up for Sugita will be Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.