Second seed Alex De Minaur started his campaign at the Viking International at Devonshire Park in Eastbourne with a 6-3 6-4 win over Liam Broady.
De Minaur broke serve in the seventh game and closed out the first set with a backhand crosscourt winner after 46 minutes. The Australian player broke serve at deuce in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead, but Broady raised the games by breaking back at deuce in the ninth game. De Minaur broke for the second time in the 10th game to win the second set 6-4.
De Minaur has returned to the top 20 for the first time in 18 months after reaching the semifinals at Queen’s last week.
“It was very intense. A very tough match at a high level, against a tricky opponent, who has been playing great. It’s a part of the year that I love. I enjoy the grass court swing and I want to make every match count”, said De Minaur.
Lorenzo Sonego beat John Millman 6-4 6-2 after 1 hour and 22 minutes. Sonego set up a quarter final match against Alexander Bublik. Sonego beat Bublik twice at Roland Garros and in the Paris Bercy in 2020.
Sonego converted his third break point at deuce in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Millman saved a break point in the ninth game. Sonego served out the first set at love in the 10th game. Sonego broke twice in the third and fifth games to race out to a 4-1 lead. Millman pulled back one break, but Sonego broke for the second time at love in the seventh game to close out the second set 6-2.
Max Purcell battled past Gael Monfils 6-4 5-7 6-4 after 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Monfils came within two points of defeat at 4-5 in the second set, but he broke back with a crosscourt forehand winner to draw level to 5-5. Monfils won seven consecutive games from 3-5 down in the second set with two breaks in the 12th game of the second set and in the second game of the third set. Purcell came back by winning five consecutive games to take a 5-3 lead with two consecutive breaks and sealed his third level win of the year with a hold at 15.
Purcell, who beat 2018 Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson in the first round of qualifying, will take on Andreas Seppi, who beat Emil Ruusuvuori 6-2 6-3 in 69 minutes.
Purcell will face Andreas Seppi, who beat Emil Ruusuvuori 6-2 6-3 in 69 minutes. Seppi broke twice in the second and eighth games to take a 6-2 lead. Seppi broke in the second game to take a 2-0 lead. The Italian player saved two break points to hold serve at deuce in the ninth game.
