Matteo Arnaldi saved seven of the nine break points he faced to beat Yoshihito Nishioka 4-6 6-4 6-3 after 2 hours and 23 minutes and reached the second round at the Delray Beach Open.
Arnaldi will face either Liam Broady or Ricky Hijikata.
Nishioka converted his sixth break point in the third game of the first set. Arnaldi earned three break points in the fourth game but Nishioka saved them. The set went on serve in the next games. Nishioka served out the first set 6-4 on his second opportunity.
Arnaldi broke serve in the fourth game of the second set to take a 3-1 lead. Nishioka broke straight back in the fifth game. Arnaldi saved a break point in the seventh game before earning his second break in the 10thgame to win the second set 6-4.
Arnaldi saved a break point in the fourth game of the third set. The Italian player converted his third break point in the eighth game before serving out the win with a backhand volley on his fourth match point.
“It’s just different. This is the first time that I am playing here, so I am happy that I won the match and I am trying to get used to these conditions”, said Arnaldi.
