TENERIFE, November 1, 2021
The ATP Challenger Tour is back in Tenerife for the first time since 2009. Main draw action at the €44,820 Tenerife Challenger, being held at the Abama Tennis Academy in Guía de Isora, a municipality in the western part of the largest of the Canary Islands, kicked off on Monday.
In sunny and warm conditions with temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius on Center Court, Elias Ymer edged past Hiroki Moriya of Japan 7-6(4), 6-4. The No. 7 seed from Sweden struck 12 aces and won 52 per cent of the total points played to prevail after one hour and 54 minutes.
#EliasYmer 🇸🇪 into 2nd round 🙌🏻@ATPChallenger | #TenerifeChallenger pic.twitter.com/HcHnGT1gx2
— MEF tennis events (@meftennisevents) November 1, 2021
“It was a very difficult match but I was serving very well. Hiroki is a very good returner, so the serve was key. I am very happy with my performance,” Ymer said.
“It’s my first time here. A lot of Swedish people come here for vacation. I didn’t know that much about the island. I really like it. It is a really nice atmosphere. The nature is amazing. The tournament is very good.”
Ymer will next play Nuno Borges of Portugal, who rallied from a set down to overcome Kimmer Coppejans from Belgium 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 after one hour and 53 minutes.
Griekspoor extends winning streak
Later in the afternoon, Tallon Griekspoor, top seed of the hard-court tournament, opened his title bid with a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 win against Ergi Kirkin of Turkey. The red-hot Dutchman arrived in Tenerife following three consecutive title wins on the Challenger Circuit last month, lifting the trophies at the Murcia Open in Spain as well as twice in Napoli, Italy.
Griekspoor converted five of his eight break-point chances to secure victory in one hour and eight minutes.
#TallonGriekspoor vuela a la segunda ronda 🤜🏻🤛🏼@ATPChallenger | @Griekii | #TenerifeChallenger pic.twitter.com/yp2wmjjwdT
— MEF tennis events (@meftennisevents) November 1, 2021
The World No. 88 will next take on either Marc Polmans from Australia or Russian qualifier Yan Bondarevskiy.
In other action, No. 6 seed Altug Celikbilek of Turkey, a winner of two hard-court titles on the Challenger Tour this year in Porto, Portugal and Pozoblanco, Spain, eased past Timofey Skatov from Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-0 in 67 minutes.
The World No. 160 will next face Chun-Hsin Tseng of Chinese Taipei, who beat Briton Jay Clarke 6-2, 7-6(5) after one hour and 24 minutes.
