(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Veteran David Ferrer needed all his experience to down Wu Yibing in the first round of the ATP Auckland Classic as the emerging stars went on display yesterday.
'It was really tough. The juniors are coming and it was not easy, said the 35-year-old former world number three, after taking nearly two hours to complete a 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 victory over a player 17 years his junior.
While Wu made an early exit, there was better fortune for another hot prospect, 18-year-old Canadian Denis Shapovalov, who took just 56 minutes to beat 33-year-old Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-3, 6-2.
Wu, only a few months old when Ferrer turned professional in 2000, dropped his opening serve to love, but broke back to level at 3-3 and saved three break points at 5-5 before a double fault cost him the tiebreak 9/7.
Spain's Ferrer, a four-time winner in Auckland and the tournament seventh seed, broke in the second set on another double fault by the Hangzhou native to lead 4-2.
Wu, who saved nine of 12 break points faced, displayed his fighting spirit by breaking back when Ferrer was serving for the match at 5-3, although it was a short-lived reprieve as he dropped his next serve.
'It was difficult. He's a young player with a lot of power in his shots, Ferrer said.
'Experience was the key. I have 18 more years than him so I tried to play with my experience in the important moments.
Shapovalov, already ranked 51 in the world after a standout 2017 which included wins over Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin Del Potro, fired down nine aces as he raced past Dutra Silva to set up a second-round clash with Del Potro.
The only other seeded player in action on day one was Spanish fifth-seed Roberto Bautista Agut, who beat New Zealander and French Open doubles champion Michael Venus 6-2, 6-1.
Eighth seed Andrey Rublev, who lost the Doha final to Gael Monfils last week, has pulled out of the tournament citing an arm injury.
Stephens out
US Open champion Sloane Stephens' preparations for the Australian Open hit a speed bump yesterday when she was bundled out of the Sydney International first round by Italy's Camila Giorgi.
Stephens, who has not played since the Fed Cup final in November, looked rusty against the big-hitting Giorgi and made 35 unforced errors as she lost 6-3 6-0 to the 26-year-old in just over an hour.
World number 13 Stephens has not won a match since beating Madison Keys in the final at Flushing Meadows in September.
She lost both singles encounters in the Fed Cup against Belarus, lost twice in the WTA Elite Trophy event in Wuhai and suffered first-round losses in two tournaments in China. 'I trained in Italy, my home, and felt so very good. I did six weeks of preparation. It was great. Very good, said Giorgi, who missed the back end of last season with an elbow injury.
'I made a few errors at the start but then I played my game and it was good after that.
Giorgi will next meet twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who went through when last year's surprise Australian Open semi-finalist Mirjana Lucic-Baroni retired after losing the first set 6-1.
MENAFN0801201800670000ID1096325336
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.