Geneva Open Day Two Round-up | Stan Wawrinka advances on home soil with Tsitsipas taking down Mpetshi Perricard

A thrilling day of first round action at the Geneva Open was topped by the home hero Stan Wawrinka coming through a brilliant battle against lucky loser Raul Brancaccio. It went the distance, but the 41-year-old showed great courage and resilience to come out on top 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(5).

Supposed to play Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, Brancaccio was a late replacement, and he almost took his opportunity with open arms. However, he did not start well against the two-time champion. Wawrinka came flying out of the blocks, sailing into a 4-1 lea before a late break confirmed a one-set lead.

The Italian was not going to bend down and let the fans favourite go through. He broke right at the start of the second set, which actually was the final break of the match. He survived a break-back point instantly after before seeing it out to force a third and final set.

Not a single break point was even created as the pair remain comfortable on serve with a tiebreak seemingly inevitable. They remained separated by just one point throughout the whole tiebreak. This trend would change when Wawrinka was the first to create a match point. Coming back from 5-4 down, he won three points in a row to send him through to the second round in his home event. His final voyage in Geneva continues after a marvellous match of tennis by one of the greats.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard are two players that are not in great form. A win for either of them would have meant the world. It would be the two-time Grand Slam finalist prevailing 6-4, 7-6(8) after a remarkably tense end to the match where Tsitsipas almost blew it.

He came out of the blocks like a rocket, winning eight of the first nine points as he sailed into a 2-0 lead. Both players failed to convert a break point later on in the set, playing firmly into the hands of Tsitsipas who served it out with ease.

Another break point was missed by both players before Mpetshi Perricard failed to see out the match with a first set point. Tsitsipas forced a tiebreak as he strode confidently into a 6-2 lead. In the blink of an eye, four match points were missed and Mpetshi Perricard now had a second chance at seeing it out. He also squandered his second effort as Tsitsipas eventually got over the line with his sixth match point.

While Mpetshi Perricard’s preparation for his home Grand Slam is over, Arthur Rinderknech came through a comfortable 6-4, 6-1 win against Thiago Agustin Tirante. The Argentine was a threat on paper but could not prevent the Shanghai Masters finalist from getting the job done.

The tie began with nine successive holds before a late break of serve nudged the momentum towards Rinderknech. The fifth seed would drop just one game for the rest of match in a very controlling display.

Another two Argentines were involved in proceedings. Most notably Sebastian Baez who fell at the first hurdle in a 7-5, 6-3 loss to Alex Michelsen. The American started the brighter, breaking to love in a menacing start to the contest. He survived a brace of break points before missing three more of his own later on. This could have been costly as he failed to serve the first set out the first time of asking, going down a break to love. However, an exceptional response allowed him to have another chance of serving it out. There were no mistakes this time round.

Michelsen had lost his last three matches, making him slightly out of form. He looked to be returning to winning way after sealing a 3-1 lead. He ploughed on to 5-3 on the Baez serve as he took a fourth match point which advanced him into the next round.

Baez was not able to make an unlikely comeback, not like qualifier Francisco Comesana. He came back from a set down to defeat Valentin Royer 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Royer sprinted towards the first set, winning four games in a row before finding himself 3-0 down at the start of the second set. He had to wait for some time to seal it with a delay in play due to rain an untimely one. Comesana came out and straight away levelled the match. A trio of breaks right at the end of the third set suited Comesana, offering him a chance to serve it out. He took his first match point and progresses.

The final match of the night saw a surprise result. World number 253 Edas Butvilas dumped out Lorenzo Sonego in a 6-3, 6-1 triumph.

The signs were there by the qualifier in the early stages. He broke the Italian’s serve to kick off the action before saving four chances from his opponent throughout the rest of the set. He then compounded Sonego’s misery by breaking once more right at the end of the set to seal it. He then raced into a 3-0 lead before getting another break which moved him into a position where he could serve it out. He did this with ease and picks up a valuable win.