Richard Gasquet thrilled the home crowd at the Moselle Open in Metz, France, while Tomas Martin Etcheverry had a strong start at the Belgrade Open. Here’s a detailed look at Monday’s action from both tournaments.
Moselle Open: Gasquet’s Emotional Win
Veteran Frenchman Richard Gasquet, playing in his final appearance at the Moselle Open before retiring next summer, pulled off a dramatic comeback to defeat Thiago Monteiro of Brazil 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6). Gasquet, 38, saved a match point in the third-set tiebreaker and went on to win the next two points, sealing victory in just under three hours.
Gasquet, who has announced he will retire following the 2024 French Open, delivered 14 aces and was dominant on his first serve, winning 89.1 percent of those points. Metz holds special significance for the former World No. 7, as it was the site of his first ATP final back in 2004.
Herbert’s Upset and Other French Successes
French lucky loser Pierre-Hugues Herbert stunned No. 6 seed Pedro Martinez of Spain in another three-set thriller, winning 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4) in two hours and 32 minutes. Herbert’s impressive serving performance included 12 aces, which helped him secure the win.
In other matches, No. 7 seed Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany rallied past Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie, French qualifier Quentin Halys, and Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego also advanced from the first round.
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Belgrade Open: Etcheverry Holds Strong
In the Belgrade Open, No. 7 seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina defeated Russia’s Pavel Kotov 6-3, 6-4, saving all four break points he faced. Etcheverry’s solid serving and baseline play set up a second-round clash with Slovakian qualifier Lukas Klein, who dispatched Australia’s James Duckworth 6-4, 6-2.
Altmaier’s Upset and Home-Court Delight for Lajovic
German Daniel Altmaier delivered a notable upset, taking down No. 8 seed Luciano Darderi of Italy 7-6 (1), 6-3. Serbian favorite Dusan Lajovic delighted the home crowd by defeating Argentina’s No. 9 seed Mariano Navone 6-0, 7-6 (3), dominating the opening set and holding firm in the second.
Other winners in Belgrade included Canadian qualifier Denis Shapovalov, former Grand Slam champion Marin Cilic of Croatia, Australia’s Christopher O’Connell, and American Aleksandar Kovacevic, each advancing to the next round.
Both tournaments are off to exciting starts, with veteran players like Gasquet showing resilience and younger stars like Etcheverry aiming to make deep runs. The matches promise more thrilling tennis as the week progresses.
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