BRUNSWICK, July 6, 2015

Daniel Brands is the first German player to advance into the second round of the ATP Challenger Sparkassen Open in Brunswick.

On Monday the 27-year-old from Deggendorf defeated Norbert Gombos, winning 6-2, 6-4. Brands saved all five break points he had to face and capitalized on three of his own to close the match after one hour and 18 minutes.

“I am very satisfied with my performance and I am happy that I was able to use my wild card,” the world number 363 told afterwards and is looking forward to a possible second round clash with Brunswick’s defending champion Alexander Zverev. “I beat Sascha at the qualifying in Vienna 2014, but he has developed tremendously since then. If we should meet in the next round, I will not have any pressure. He is the top 100-player and the defending champion. I can play in a free and relaxed way.”

In the opening match on centre court last year’s runner-up Paul-Henri Mathieu cruised past Facundo Arguello, winning 6-1, 6-1. The 33-year-old Frenchman didn’t have to face a break point and prevailed after only 56 minutes facing the winner of the match between second seed Marcel Granollers and Andre Ghem next.

The tournament’s number five Damir Dzumhur made it into the second round, winning 6-4, 7-5 against Gastao Elias. The 23-year-old Bosnian will take on the either Taro Daniel or Tobias Kamke next.

In the final singles match of the day Thiemo de Bakker defeated Australian qualifier Jason Kubler 6-4, 6-2. The world number 132 from the Netherlands won 91% of his first service points to seal victory in 71 minutes. De Bakker will play the winner of the encounter between sixth seed Radu Albot and Jan-Lennard Struff.

On Tuesday, 15 matches will be played on four courts at the venue of the BTHC starting at noon. Top seed Pablo Carreno-Busta will headline the action taking on German wild Card Florian Mayer in his opening match.