BANGKOK, January 9, 2018

The ATP Challenger Tour is staying in Thailand for a second consecutive week with the $50,000 Bangkok Open. The top three seeds all come from Spain led by Marcel Granollers, who looks to go back-to-back.

On Tuesday, Granollers made a winning start easing past local wild card entry Pol Wattanakul 6-2, 6-0. Granollers saved the only break point he faced, converting five of his own to advance in exactly one hour of play. The 31-year-old from Barcelona will next take on Flavio Cipolla of Italy.

Granollers is joined by compatriot and second seed Enrique López-Pérez, who beat Ti Chen from Taiwan 6-2, 6-3. The World No. 265 from Madrid fired 10 aces, winning 62 per cent of the total points played to seal victory in 62 minutes. Next up for López-Pérez will be Italian Alessandro Bega.

Third favourite Pedro Martinez edged past fellow Spaniard Guillermo Olaso 6-4, 6-4 to meet Gerard Granollers in the second round. Tsung-Hu Yang, the tournament’s number four fell in his opening match. The 26-year-old from Taiwan lost 6-4, 6-3 to Frederik Nielsen of Denmark.