TEL AVIV/STARNBERG, September 27, 2022
Home favourites Edan Leshem and and Yshai Oliel headlined Tuesday’s second-round action at the $1,019,855 Tel Aviv Watergen Open held at the Tel Aviv International Convention Center. Leshem, who has qualified to an ATP Tour event for the second time in as many attempts, defeated the local wild card entry 6-3, 6-2.
In the pair’s first tour-level meeting, Leshem saved all three break points he faced and capitalized on three of his own nine break-point chances to prevail after one hour and 25 minutes.
FIRST ATP WIN 🤩
Lesham defeats compatriot Oliel 6-3 6-2 for his first ATP win at the @telavivopen! pic.twitter.com/TyJBh53RiH
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 27, 2022
The 25-year-old Leshem, a nine-time champion on the ITF World Tennis Tour, will next take on Canadian lucky loser Vasek Pospisil. The 32-year-old Vernon native rallied past No. 8 seed Tallon Griekspoor from the Netherlands 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-5 in two hours and 32 minutes.
Earlier in the day, Sebastian Korda backed up his own quarterfinal run at last week’s Moselle Open in Metz with a solid opening display against Cem Ilkel from Turkey. The US-American had lost twice to Ilkel in the pair’s previous meetings on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2018 and 2019, respectively, but the 22-year-old powered to a 6-4, 6-4 win in one hour and 21 minutes.
Safely through 💪
Korda defeats Ilkel 6-4 6-4 to make the 2nd round at the @telavivopen! pic.twitter.com/09CcLIfOY8
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 27, 2022
“It was difficult because he is a really good player,” said Korda in his on-court interview. “He was on court more than me as he played two matches in qualifications already. But it was a good match for me and I’m very happy. My serve can be better but it was really a good first match for me and I will try to build on it. It’s my first time in Israel, it’s a beautiful place and I hope we will see a big crowd during my next match.”
Up next for Korda will be his compatriot Maxime Cressy.
In other action, Emil Ruusuvuori got the better of J.J. Wolf from the United States to reach the second round in Tel Aviv, winning 6-3, 6-2 in 73 minutes. The World No. 54 from Finland will next play either seventh-seeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino or Constant Lestienne of France.
No. 5 seed Botic van de Zandschulp from the Netherlands dispatched Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 21 minutes and will next take on British qualifier Liam Broady, who downed Serbian wild card Hamad Medjedovic 7-5, 6-3.
