Teymuraz Gabashvili won his first round of the Tempe Challenger 6-2, 6-3 over 22-year-old wild card Michael Geerts.
Seeded sixth in the tournament, the 31-year-old Russian relentlessly dictated play with his weapons, never giving Geerts, ranked 583rd in the world, any real opportunities to take control of the match.
Gabashvili, up 1-0, had three break points in the match’s sophomore game, converting on the second one with a netted forehand from Geerts. Gabashvili then consolidated for 3-0 via two winners from himself and two errors from his opponent.
Later in the set, trailing 1-4, Geerts double-faulted to go down 15-40. Resiliently, he hit forehand winners on back-to-back points to make it deuce. Gabashvili then missed a forehand into the net to hand Geerts the advantage. But Geerts returned the favor to bring it back to deuce. He went on to double-fault again, giving Gabashvili another break point. But the Belgian saved it with a volley winner, and eventually got the hold after two more game points.
Gabashvili, after holding for 5-2, landed a dropshot winner for 15-40 and two set points. He only needed one, though, as Geerts missed a down-the-line backhand wide, letting Gabashvili win the set 6-2.
Gabashvili had a shaky start to the second, needing to fight off two break points before he could hold with forehand winner.
Gabashvili later broke for 3-1, making it seem like he had the match in the bag. But a bunch of misses from the Russian allowed Geerts to break back for 2-3.
Then at 3-3, Geerts failed to break in a three-deuce game, putting Gabashvili up 4-3 0n serve.
Geerts’ service game that followed was a marathon one. At the first deuce, Gabashvili hit a crosscourt forehand winner to get his first break point of the game, which Geerts saved with an untouched drop shot. Gabashvili then got another break point that he was unable to convert. The game went to deuce four more times before Gabashvili finally hit a forehand winner to break for 5-3.
Serving for the match, Gabashvili found himself down 30-40, but he managed to serve his way out to win the set 6-3.
Gabashvili, in his second-round match, will play 19-year-old Akira Santillan from Japan, ranked No. 194.
