Holger Rune beat world number 88 player Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 in a clash between two Next Gen players to reach the second round at the BMW Open in Munich. Rune rallied from 2-5 down in the opening set en route to his straight-set win against Lehecka.
Lehecka opened up a 3-1 lead with a break in the fourth game. Rune broke straight back in the fifth game. Lehecka earned his second break and held his service game to race out to a 5-2 lead. Rune broke back in the ninth game to draw level to 5-5. Rune won the final three points from 4-4 with a mini-break to win the tie-break 7-4. Rune broke serve in the second game to open up a 3-0 lead in the second set. Lehecka saved five break points to hold serve in the fifth game. Rune won his final three service games to close out the second set 6-3.
Rune has won his opening match in five of his past six ATP Tour events.
The Danish teenager beat Aslan Karatsev in Monte-Carlo and Christian Garin in Belgrade this clay-court season.
Rune set up a second round match against Emil Ruusuvuori, who battled past Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka 7-6 (7-5) 7-5.
The Finnish player dropped just five games against Feliciano Lopez and Alexander Bublik before losing to Casper Ruud in Barcelona.
World number 38 Miomir Kecmanovic continued his good period of form by cruising past Max Hans Rehberg 6-2 6-3 with two breaks in each set.
Kecmanovic pushed Novak Djokovic to the third set at the Serbia Open in Belgrade last week.
Kecmanovic set up a second round match against German player Daniel Altmaier, who overcame three-time Munich champion Phillip Kohlschreiber 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-1.
Slovakia’s Alex Molcan edged past his compatriot Norbert Gombos 6-1 3-6 7-6 (9-7).
