Jan-Lennard Struff battled past world number 8 and defending champion Karen Khachanov 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 7-5 in two hours at the Rolex Paris Masters in Paris Bercy.
Struff will face either Matteo Berrettini or 2008 Paris Bercy champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round on Thursday.
Struff sealed the tie-break of the first set with a backhand return winner at 5-5 and his eighth ace. Khachanov went up a break to take a 3-0 lead after winning 12 of his first 17 points.
Struff player went up a break to take a 3-1 lead in the third set, but Khachanov broke back in the fifth game. Struff converted his first break point on the match point with a smash winner in the 12th game.
Grigor Dimitrov rallied from losing the first set to beat French Next Gen player Ugo Humbert 4-6 6-1 6-2. Humbert broke serve at 15 in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Dimitrov converted his second break point chance in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Humbert broke again in the ninth game on his second opportunity and served out the first set 6-4. Dimitrov broke twice in both the second and third set to win 12 of the 15 games.
Canadian Next Gen player Denis Shapovalov secured his spot in the second round for the first time at this tournament when Gilles Simon was forced to withdraw from the match at 2-2 in the first set.
Taylor Fritz fended off one set point in the tie-break of the first set to beat his compatriot Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 6-4. Fritz opened up a 4-1 lead in the tie-break of the first set. Tiafoe reeled off five of the next six points, but he mis-hit a backhand on the set point. Fritz rallied from 5-6 down to win the tie-break 8-6.
Tiafoe earned his only break in the second game to seal the second set 6-3. Fritz built up a 4-1 lead in the decisive set, but Tiafoe won three consecutive games with a break in the seventh game to draw level to 4-4. Fritz broke for the second time on his first match point in the 10th game to seal the third set 6-4.
Moldova’s Rudi Albot beat Andreas Seppi 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (8-6). Seppi saved a break point in the second game of the first set. Albot broke serve in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. Seppi broke back at love in the ninth game. The Italian player saved a set point in the 12th game sending the first set to the tie-break. Albot won the tie-break 7-5 after 58 minutes. Seppi broke serve in the second game to take a 5-2 lead. Albot broke back in the ninth game to draw level to 5-5- Seppi went up a 4-1 lead in the tie-break. Albot won three consecutive points from 3-5 down to earn his first match point at 6-5. Seppi saved the first match point but Albot won the final two points to win the tie-break 8-6.
French lucky loser Corentin Moutet beat this year’s Monte-Carlo finalst and Umag champion Dusan Lajovic 6-4 1-6 6-3. Moutet, who lost to Jeremy Chardy in the last qualifying round, will face four-time Paris Bercy champion Novak Djokovic.
“I don’t want to say that I am impressed by him or any other player. I have a lot of respect for his career because he has been number one for many years. I will try not to be unworthy and to be better than him”, said Moutet.
Kyle Edmund stopped an eight-match losing streak by beating Ricardas Berankis 6-4 6-3. Last week’s Basel finalist Alex De Minaur beat Laslo Djere 6-1 6-4.
