GRAN CANARIA, February 24, 2021
Top seed Lorenzo Musetti opened his title bid at the Gran Canaria Challenger I on Wednesday with a solid 6-3, 7-5 win over Spanish qualifier Alex Marti Pujolras. In the last first-round match of the €44,820 clay-court event held at the El Cortijo Tennis Academy, the World No. 115 from Italy converted seven of his 11 break-point chances to advance after one hour and 35 minutes.
Lorenzo #Musetti a Alex #MartiPujolras 6-3 7-5 💎#GCC #meftennisevents #tennis #ATPChallenger @ATPChallenger | @turismogc | @GranCanariaTur | @gctourism | @GranCanariaCab | @RFETenis | @GranCanariaDep | @ESPNtenis pic.twitter.com/H7p61sXCCR
— MEF tennis events (@meftennisevents) February 24, 2021
“It was very hot today. I am not used to play in these conditions, as I played indoors in Biella last week. It was not easy for me to adapt my game but at the end I passed the first round and I am happy with the win,” Musetti told Italian journalist Matteo Mosciatti afterwards.
“It is really nice here. I used to live at the sea and enjoy playing here. I hope to stay one week or more here but I am really close to the Top 100 and I played a lot of Challengers, so I hope to play more ATP events in the future to compete at higher level.”
Musetti, who captured his maiden Challenger title on home soil in Forli last year, will next play Alex Molcan of Slovakia.
Diez, Couacaud into quarterfinals
In second round action, Steven Diez knocked out No. 7 seed Alessandro Giannessi from Italy 7-6(6), 7-6(8) to book his spot in the quarterfinals. The 29-year-old Canadian, a son of Spanish parents and based in Catalonia, outpointed his opponent 88-84 after two hours and 29 minutes. Diez will take on Italian Riccardo Bonadio, who rallied past Blaz Kavcic from Slovenia 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Enzo Couacaud remained untroubled in his 6-1, 6-2 win over Spanish veteran Tommy Robredo. The 25-year-old Frenchman sent down five aces and won 86 per cent of his first-service points to secure a 6-1, 6-2 victory in one hour and 16 minutes.
6-1 6-2 a Tommy #Robredo: partido fenomenal de Enzo #Couacaud 💣#GCC #meftennisevents #tennis #ATPChallenger @ATPChallenger | @turismogc | @GranCanariaTur | @gctourism | @GranCanariaCab | @RFETenis | @GranCanariaDep | @ESPNtenis pic.twitter.com/sXK1keXeeB
— MEF tennis events (@meftennisevents) February 24, 2021
Couacaud will next face Marco Trungelliti of Argentina, who came from a set down to overcome Kimmer Coppejans from Belgium 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. The encounter lasted two hours and 18 minutes.
