American Sam Querrey managed to arrest the early American exits in the 2018 Australian Open to date. The 13th seed negotiated what many had anticipated as a tricky opener against veteran Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
Querrey broke early in the first when Lopez missed long with a forehand. The American then held through to the end of the set.
Lopez’s resistance in the second was a little tougher, though once again it was Querrey who earned the break. This time it came a little later in the ninth game. Querrey then served out the set.
The match looked all but over as a contest when Querrey broke immediately to start the third. Lopez clawed his way back from 0-40, but Querrey would not be denied.
Late in the set the American added some gloss to the scoreline with a second break. Querrey’s section of the draw has now opened up after the shock loss of 22nd seed Milos Raonic. Querrey had been scheduled to meet the Canadian in the third round.
In other early action, 26th seed Adrian Mannarino won his opener against lucky loser Matteo Berrettini 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau also joined him after defeating Japan’s Taro Daniel 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-1. Benneteau had served for the opening set but was broken and lost the resulting tie break. Benneteau made amends by winning the second set tie break to love, and never looked back. He lost just five games in the final two sets.
20th seed Roberto Bautista Agut like Querrey had been handed a tough first round match. He was drawn against fellow Spaniard and former Australian Open semi-finalist Fernando Verdasco. The mercurial Verdasco won 6-1, 7-5, 7-5 to knock out the winner in Auckland last week.
Bautista Agut was in Stan Wawrinka’s section, which may make things easier for the former champion.
