ATP Buenos Aires: Lajovic turns match against Paire three times, Verdasco with first tour win since May
Dusan Lajovic (ATP No. 37) fended off three match points in his opening win at the ATP 250 tournament in Buenos Aires against Benoit Paire.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Feb 08, 2022, 07:38 am
The man from Serbia, who was seeded fifth, won 4:6, 6:4 and 7:6 (3) over Paire - and had to use several fighting qualities in the third round. He was a break behind three times, Paire even had three match balls in a row at 5: 4 and 40: 0 on his own serve. After equalizing 5-5, the Frenchman broke again but gave up his serve to zero. But Lajovic stayed on and ended up leaving the field as the winner.
Particularly bitter: At 5: 4, 40:30, Paire had thundered a smash into the gang after a finely played point...
Verdasco with first Tour victory since May 2021
The Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco celebrated a sense of achievement: The world number 201st, most recently mainly at ATP Challenger level, won his first tour match since May 2021: Verdasco defeated Hugo Dellien 6: 4, 3: 6 and 6: 1.
But the main focus in Buenos Aires on Tuesday evening will be on Juan Martin del Potro: the long-injured US Open champ from 2009 had announced that he would probably be playing his last tournament here (or in Rio).
He meets compatriot Federico Delbonis from midnight CET.
Casper Ruud is the top seed in Buenos Aires ahead of defending champion Diego Schwartzman.