AIX-EN-PROVENCE, May 8, 2018

The prestigious Open du Pays d’Aix is back for a fifth edition this week. Main draw action at the €127,000 ATP Challenger clay-court event kicked off on Monday with three first round matches.

Norbert Gombos knocked off Spanish veteran Tommy Robredo 6-2, 7-6. The 27-year-old from Slovakia struck seven aces, winning 78 per cent of his first service points. Gombos saved all three break points he faced, converting two of his own to prevail after one hour and 32 minutes. Next up will be either No. 5 seed Calvin Hemery of France or Nino Serdarusic from Croatia, runner-up from last week’s ATP Challenger in Ostrava.

Bradley Klahn fought past Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan, winning two tie-breaks 7-5, 7-4. The 27-year-old US-American won seven points more than his opponent to seal a 7-6, 7-6 victory in one hour and 39 minutes. Klahn will next take on the winner of the encounter between Mats Moraing from Germany and eighth favourite Thiago Monteiro of Brazil.

Swedish youngster Elias Ymer earned a comfortable win over Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi. The World No. 138 broke serve three times to seal a 6-4, 6-2 victory in one hour and 11 minutes. Ymer will next face either Kenny de Schepper of France or in-form Briton Cameron Norrie.

Frances Tiafoe won the title in Aix last year and fellow #NextGenATP US-American Stefan Kozlov is hoping to replicate the feat this week. He is joined by 2016 champion Thiago Monteiro, top seed John Millman of Australia, who opens his campaign agianst qualifier and compatriot Alexei Popyrin.

Photo Gallery (by Brigitte Urban):