IASI, September 15, 2020
Following yesterday’s win of 19-year-old Cezar Cretu over Hiroki Moriya, another Romanian teenager booked his spot in the second round of the Concord Iasi Open on Tuesday. Eighteen-year-old Filip Cristian Jianu fought past Russian veteran Teymuraz Gabashvili winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
The World No. 402 from Bucharest capitalized on seven of his 13 break point chances to secure victory in two hours and 16 minutes. Up next for Jianu, who has clinched three titles on the ITF World Tennis Tour, will be No. 7 seed Joao Menezes of Brazil.
Later in the day, top seed Pablo Andujar opened his title bid with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Alexandre Muller of France. The World No. 54 and only Top 100 player in action at this week’s €88,520 clay-court event held in the historical region of Moldavia, was in total control of the encounter and won 60 per cent of the total point played. Andujar, runner-up to Kamil Majchrzak at the Czech Open in Prostejov last Saturday, finished the match after one hour and 28 minutes. The 34-year-old Spaniard will next take on Malek Jaziri of Tunisia, who defeated Cem Ilkel from Turkey 6-2, 6-4.
No. 3 seed Arthur Rinderknech also advanced to the second round. The 25-year-old Frenchman beat Marc-Andrea Huesler from Switzerland, semi-finalist at the Generali Open in Kitzbühel last week, by the score of 6-3, 6-4. Rinderknech, who already lifted the ATP Challenger trophies at the Open Blot Rennes on home soil and in Calgary, Canada, earlier this year, will play Spaniard Adrian Menendez Maceiras next.
