RADU Albot caused the biggest upset of the day, taking out number one seed Denis Shapovalov, one of five straight-set matches on day two of main draw matches at the Sofia Open. The Moldovan’s 6-2 6-4 win over the world number 12 was the first of the Round of 16 clashes at the event, with Canadian Vasek Pospisil taking care of fourth seed Jan-Lennard Struff in the other second round encounter.

Albot, ranked 93 in the world, was consistent to weather Shapovalov’s inconsistent serve, with the winner needing 74 minutes to claim victory. He served at a high 77 per cent efficiency, only serving one double fault and winning 31 of 36 points off his first serve, and only dropping a total of nine for the match off either serve. He saved both break points he faced, whilst capitalising off a poor Shapovalov efficiency of 45 per cent, winning 52 per cent of the Canadian’s second serve points to break him three times from six chances during the straight sets win. The win meant Albot moved through to his second ATP Tour quarter final for the year and will play the winner of tomorrow’s Adrian Mannarino and Egor Gerasimov clash.

Also through to the next round was Pospisil, who will await the winner of counterpunchers John Millman and Gilles Simon, following the Canadian’s straight-set dismissal of German Struff. Pospisil only needed 81 minutes to win 6-3 6-4 to book his spot in the next round against the inconsistent Struff, with both players serving five aces, but Pospisil only dropping three points off his first serve making life difficult for his opponent. The Canadian’s serve was far from perfect, serving at a 50 per cent clip. Surprisingly though, Struff only managed the one break point opportunity and could not capitalise, whilst Pospisil set up play with 10 chances, but only taking two.

In the trio of Round 1 matches, Jannik Sinner joined a duo of Frenchmen in the Round of 16, completing all the Round of 32 matches. Sinner was too good for Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, with the Italian teen continuing his late-season form to win 6-2 6-4 and advance through to the next round. He only served the two aces and served at 55 per cent efficiency, but terrorised Fucsovics off his serve, winning 53 per cent of his return points. It allowed Sinner to set up a whopping 18 break point opportunities, and whilst he only took five, it was enough to see him complete the rout in just over an hour and a half.

“For everyone, first-round matches are not easy,” Sinner said post-match. “I tried to be solid. “In the beginning of the match, we were both playing quite well and moving well… “In the second set, I was a break up and he recovered. “It was just two or three points in each set that decided the match.”

Sinner now faces lucky loser Swiss talent Marc Andrea Huesler in the next round after the lowly ranked European took out seventh seed Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili yesterday. Then a potential third round clash with Alex de Minaur awaits in what would be a repeat of the 2019 ATP Next-Gen Final.

Meanwhile in the last two matches, French qualifier Simon joined compatriot Richard Gasquet in the Round of 16 following straightforward wins. Simon defeated Slovakian Andrej Martin 6-2 6-2, while Gasquet took care of Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3 6-4. Simon takes on Millman first up tomorrow in a quick turnaround, whilst Gasquet will take on Czech teenager Jonas Forejtek who stunned eighth seed Marin Cilic yesterday. In other matches tomorrow, de Minaur will face Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev, Sinner locks horns with Huesler, Gerasimov takes on Mannarino, and second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime will hope to do better than his top seed countryman when he faces Italian Salvatore Caruso.

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