Borna Coric overcame wild-card Thiemo De Bakker 7-6 (13-11) 4-6 6-3 in a little more than 2 hours and a half. The young Croatian player had to fend off 10 set points in the first set and rallied from 3-6 down in the tie-break of the first set. De Bakker bounced back to win the second set 6-4.
In the third set Coric saved a break point at 2-2 before converting his seventh break point opportunity in the 8th game (the longest of the match) before sealing the win.
“It was a very close match. In the end I was a little bit lucky but also brave. I was lucky in the first set, as Thiemo missed a lot of set points, but luck i salso part of tennis. I didn’t play well in the last three tournaments. I didn’t feel very well on the court. This was my fresh start. I focused on this match a lot and I played well in the end. I just knew if I broke at that stage in the third set. i was digging in there”, said Coric.
De Bakker was obviouslu very disappointed with his defeat.
“This is one of my most painful losses. Missing so many opportunities hurts, I had a lot of chances, but I wasn’t rewarded on the setpoints. I was too cautious on the important moments. But when I keep working like this. I am hopeful that I have some good years ahead of me”, said De Bakker.
Nicholas Mahut fired six aces and won 77 percent of his first serve points to beat Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-4 7-6 (7-4) in one hour and 51 minutes.
