Brandon Nakashima beat John Isner 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 in 1 hour and 38 minutes at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Nakashima saved one set point en route to winning the tie-break of the first set 9-7. The Next Gen ATP Finals champion earned the only break of the match in the sixth game of the second set to take a 4-2 lead after two double faults from Isner.
Isner made 25 unforced errors, including seven double faults.
Nakashima set up a second round match against Danil Medvedev, who is on a 14-winning streak and won the past three tournaments he entered in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai.
Nakashima won 56% of points on Isner’s second serve and hit 26 winners to 15 unforced errors.
“You know you are going to get some opportunities out there. You know he is going to hit some big bombs once in a while, but you always go it into it knowing you will have some opportunities. You just got to see them when they come and capitalize on them. This tournament is one of the events I used to come to come to as a kid. It is super nice to feel at home and have all my family and friends come out in support”, said Nakashima.
Ugo Humbert beat Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-2 7-6 (8-6). Humbert broke twice in the sixth and eighth games to win the first set 6-2. Zapata Miralles went up a break twice for 3-2 and 6-5 but Humbert broke back both times to draw level to 6-6. The tie-break started with six consecutive mini-breaks. Humbert earned two match points at 6-4 with a mini-break. Zapata Miralles saved them to draw level to 6-6, but Humbert won the final two points to win the tie-break 8-6.
Marcos Giron beat Alexander Kovacevic 6-3 7-5. Giron broke twice in the third and ninth games to win the first set 6-3. Both players went on serve until the 12th game when Giron earned a break on his second match point to win the second set 7-5.
Jordan Thompson cruised past Gael Monfils 6-3 7-5 in 1 hour and 5 minutes. Thompson converted four of his six break points and did not face any break points. Monfils committed 17 unforced errors to Thompson’s five, but he hit 14 winners.
Oscar Otte beat Laslo Djere 6-3 7-5 with a break in each set.
Ilya Ivashka defeated Roman Safiulin 6-4 6-2. Ivashka went up a break twice in the third and fifth games, but Safiulin broke back to draw level to 3-3. Ivashka earned his third break in the seventh game to win the first set 6-4. Ivashka broke twice in the third and eighth games to close out the second set 6-2.
