US Next Gen star Frances Tiafoe came back from one set down to beat his compatriot Ryan Harrison 3-6 7-6 6-4 in two hours and nine minutes at the Geneva Open, an ATP 250 tournament.
Harrison beat Tiafoe in their only previous head-to-head match in Memphis in 2016 and was leading 2-0 in the third set before Tiafoe claimed six of the next eight games. Tiafoe was just two points away from the defeat to win the tie-break of the second set.
The first set was marked by two breaks for each player. Harrison fended off all four break points he faced and claimed the crucial break in the eighth game to close out the first set 6-3.
Harrison dropped just six points in six service games in six service games and brought up two break points in the third game of the second set. Tiafoe saved them before rallying from a 3-5 deficit in the tie-break to reel off four consecutive points and clinch the second set by 7-5
Harrison got the break in the second game of the decisive set to open up a 2-0 lead, but he dropped serve in the third game. Tiafoe turned around the match dropping four points in the final four games and got the crucial break in the ninth game before serving out for the match in the tenth game with a hold to love setting up a second round match against either Albert Ramos Vinolas or Marton Fucsovic.
Jared Donaldson rallied from one set down to beat Denis Istomin 5-7 6-4 6-0 setting up a second round match against local favourite and two-time Geneva champion Stan Wawrinka.
Tennys Sandgren beat Andreas Haider Maurer 1-6 6-1 6-0 to stop a five-match losing streak. Bernabe Zapata Miralles cruised past Florian Mayer 6-3 6-2.
