Eastbourne Open ATP Day One Round-Up | Jack Draper returns to winning form as Cerundolo survives third-set tiebreak

The Eastbourne Open Day One produced a compact set of outcomes defined by three-set margins and controlled straight-set wins across key sections of the draw. Jack Draper progressed past Marcos Giron in straight sets, while Juan Manuel Cerundolo survived a deciding-set tiebreak against Raphael Collignon. Gabriel Diallo also required three sets to overcome Terence Atmane in a match shaped by late-set execution.

Zizou Bergs added a more controlled victory against Jaume Munar, reinforcing a mix of tight and one-sided scorelines in the opening round. The results consolidate movement of seeded and in-form players into the later stages, with multiple matches decided by narrow margins in decisive sets or tiebreak conditions.

Draper progressed through the first round after a match defined by two distinct phases across each set. In the opening set, both players held serve without facing a break point for a large stretch, with service games structured around first-strike patterns and short rallies.

In the closing stages of the set, Giron began to face increasing pressure on his serve and conceded the first break opportunities of the match. Draper converted at the second attempt, securing the break in the 10th game to take the set 6-4.

The second set shifted in Draper’s favour around the middle phase, where he built a 5-2 lead and positioned himself to close the match on serve. Giron responded with a break to love, extending the set into a tiebreak. Draper stabilised under pressure in the decider, using improved first-serve efficiency and cleaner early-point control to secure victory. The result marked his first win of this level since his Indian Wells victory over Novak Djokovic three months earlier, reinforcing his progression into the Eastbourne Open quarter-final stage.

Cerundolo advanced through the first round after a tightly balanced contest defined by marginal service separation and extended baseline exchanges. Collignon took the opening set 6-4, maintaining consistent service patterns and preventing Cerundolo from generating sustained return pressure in neutral rallies.

The Argentine adjusted in the second set by increasing return depth and improving tolerance in longer exchanges, which allowed him to stabilise his service games and level the match at one set all. The deciding set remained evenly contested on serve, with Cerundolo also saving a break point that could have shifted momentum in Collignon’s favour.

The match was ultimately decided in a tiebreak where Cerundolo fell 1-4 behind, but resisted pressure to recover decisively. He won six of the final seven points to close out the victory 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5), reinforcing his ability to execute under high-pressure scenarios as he progresses into the Eastbourne Open quarter-final stage.

Diallo progressed through the Eastbourne Open Round of 32 after a 2-hour and 58-minute contest defined by tight margins across all three sets. The opening set featured missed opportunities for the Canadian, who wasted two set points, including one on his own serve, before Atmane ultimately edged ahead to take the set in a tiebreak.

Despite the setback, Diallo maintained composure throughout the remainder of the match. The following two sets remained highly balanced in structure, with neither player able to establish sustained dominance for long periods, but Diallo consistently stayed efficient in key service phases.

In both the second and third sets, late breaks proved decisive, each time falling in Diallo’s favour at the closing stages of the set. Those critical breaks were converted into set wins, allowing him to complete the turnaround and secure a 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 victory, reinforcing his control in high-pressure endgame situations as he advances in the Eastbourne Open draw.

Bergs advanced through the opening round with a match defined by immediate separation in the opening stages. He secured an early break in the first set and quickly built momentum behind consistent first-serve execution, maintaining control of baseline exchanges while Munar struggled to establish return pressure.

The second set followed a similar early pattern, with Bergs again breaking at a key moment in the opening phase. That early advantage allowed him to rely heavily on his service games for the remainder of the set, holding comfortably and avoiding extended pressure situations.

Munar was unable to generate any meaningful response on return after the early disruption in both sets, with Bergs maintaining structural control from start to finish. The Belgian closed out a 6-2, 6-4 win, advancing without complications into the next stage of the Eastbourne Open draw.