Paul Beats Tiafoe In Adelaide Opener
Tommy Paul recorded his third win in four matches this year by overcoming fellow American Frances Tiafoe, the seventh seed, 6-2, 6-3 on Monday at the Adelaide International 2.
Paul won 24 of 29 first-service points for victory in 69 minutes, almost two months on from beating Tiafoe 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-4 en route to his first ATP Tour trophy at the Stockholm Open. The 24-year-old now challenges #NextGenATP Italian Lorenzo Musetti or Benjamin Bonzi of France in the second round.
[FOLLOW ACTION]World No. 156 Aleksandar Vukic recorded the biggest win of his career when the Australian wild card knocked out sixth seed Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 7-6(5), 6-2 in 80 minutes. Vukic led 6/0 in the first-set tie-break and will next face fellow Australian wild card Alex Bolt or American qualifier Steve Johnson. Vukic lost to Johnson 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 at last week’s ATP 250 event in Adelaide.
Elsewhere, Arthur Rinderknech, who represented Team France at last week’s ATP Cup, hit 22 aces to defeat American Mackenzie McDonald 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 in two hours and 13 minutes. He awaits the winner of fifth-seeded South African Lloyd Harris or Soonwoo Kwon of South Korea.