Egor Gerasimov world number 83 successfully buried former world number 1 Andy Murray in the first round of the Open Sud de France, Montpellier 2021 season.
The Belarusian national was the better player throughout the two sets and beat Murray in the first set which lasted 71 minutes before claiming the second set with 1 hour 44 minutes remaining 7-6, 6-1.
“I just have to focus on the match and not think about mistakes. I just want to do my best, because I’m competing against great champions. It was a valuable experience and I am very happy,” said Gerasimov.
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Murray is playing his first ATP tournament match since October last season. The world number 121 came to the Open Sud de France hoping to find the best form after undergoing hip surgery in the 2019 season. At the end of that season, he won the European Open title in Antwerp, Belgium.
Starting the match, the two players played competitively so that the first set had to be decided through the tiebreak round. Murray secured two set point chances in the tiebreaker and created his own with a strong return at 6/6. But the British national couldn’t maintain that level so the world number 83 claimed the set on her fourth chance.
“I’m just trying to shoot an impressive shot. I’m not thinking about winning or losing the tiebreaker. I thought about the field, about the game,” added Egor Gerasimov.
While Murray struggled to find form, the Belarusian national maintained the momentum by snatching the first five games in a row. The English national managed to secure two match point chances, but the Belarusian national finally sealed victory on the third chance with 12th ace of the match.
Waiting for Gerasimov in the second round of the Open Sud de France is the fifth seed, Jannik Sinner or Aljaz Bedene.
In other action, German national Peter Gojowczyk claimed victory in his first meeting against eighth seed and compatriot Jan Lennard Struff who is ranked 37 in the world.
World number 144 Gojowczyk took 75 minutes to beat Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-4 and will face Jiri Vesely, who slaughtered Mikael Ymer 6-1, 6-1, for a place in the Open Sud quarterfinals. de France.
Expectations for a host player to win the tournament in Montpellier have dwindled after the two hosts were knocked out. Austrian Denis Novak beat Gilles Simon 7-6 1-6 6-3 and will take on third seed Dusan Lajovic.
In a match that pitted the two home players, Benjamin Bonzi edged out compatriot Lucas Pouille, who was playing his first match since the 2019 Shanghai Masters season, 7-6, 6-2. Next Bonzi will challenge the second seed, David Goffin.
