Karen Khachanov won his first match as a Top 10 player on Monday at the NOVENTI OPEN in Halle. The 2017 semi-finalist dismissed Serbian lucky loser Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6(5), 6-4 to reach the second round at the ATP 500 event in Germany.
Khachanov, who broke into the Top 10 last Monday after making his first Grand Slam quarter-final at Roland Garros, lost his opener last week at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart to eventual champion Matteo Berrettini. The 6'6” right-hander is the first Russian to be ranked inside the Top 10 since Mikhail Youzhny during the week of 7 February 2011.
Khachanov, who improved to 15-14 on the year, will next face German Jan-Lennard Struff or Serbian Laslo Djere.
Pierre-Hugues Herbert won an all-French battle against Gael Monfils 7-6(6), 6-4. The 28-year-old Herbert won won 53 per cent of his second-serve return points and will next meet German wild card Rudolf Molleker or Ukraine qualifier Sergiy Stakhovsky.
In other first-round action, Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com champion Radu Albot prevailed past Aussie Matthew Ebden 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, and Portuguese qualifier Joao Sousa ousted Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(3), 6-1readfullarticle
