THE three ATP 250 events have continued this week, with a flurry of predictable winners emerging as some upsets brewed across the board.

In Switzerland, two seeds competed with both claiming first round wins, as fifth seed Argentinian Federico Delbonis overcame Swiss wildcard Leandro Riedi 6-3 6-3 and seventh seed Serbian Laslo Djere downed Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-4 6-3 with little issue. Delbonis was one of three Argentinian competitors on the day but the only on to  find success as Juan Ignacio Londero and Juan Manuel Cerundolo fell to Tallon Griekspoor and Hugo Gaston, as Dennis Novak and Arthur Rinderknech claimed identical 6-4 6-4 wins over Polish lucky loser Kacper Zuk and Swiss wildcard Dominic Stephan Stricker, respectively.

In Mexico, another six matches played out with fifth seed Australian Jordan Thompson claiming a 6-4 7-5 victory over wildcard Croatian Ivo Karlovic, as American qualifier Ernesto Escobedo managed to execute a huge upset of compatriot and eighth seed Mackenzie McDonald, claiming a 6-3 6-4 result in 80 minutes. All three remaining qualifiers fell, with another American in Alexander Sarkissian giving Japanese talent Yasutaka Uchiyama a run for his money in the 5-7 6-0 6-4 clash, as Sweden’s Elias Ymer downed Australian Matthew Ebden, and Ecuadorian Emilio Gomez completed a 6-4 6-1 result. The last winner of the day was Ukrainian Illya Marchenko, who completed a 59-minute demolition of German Peter Gojowczyk, hitting 10 aces and winning 93 per cent of his first serve points in the process.

It was a huge day of action in Umag, Croatia, with nine matches playing out and seeing two of the three seeds reigning supreme. Fifth seed Aljaz Bedene could not compete with a switched on Marco Cecchinato, who claimed a speedy 6-1 6-4 victory, with the Italian joined in the second round by compatriot and eighth seed Gianluca Mager who overcame a shoddy start to win 0-6 6-3 6-3 over Spaniard Pedro Martinez. Martinez’s18-year-old compatriot Carlos Alcaraz claimed just his second come-from-behind three set victory to earn his position in the Round of 16, as the first-time seed overcame Frenchman Lucas Pouille 3-6 6-2 6-2.

“I don’t feel different being a seed, because I still come to these tournaments with the goal of growing and playing these kinds of matches,” Alcaraz said. “In the end, it’s the matches that count and give you experience and that you learn from. I come to these tournaments to learn from the really great players.”

The day’s lone Croatian on home soil claimed a victory, as wildcard Duje Ajdukovic defeated qualifier Argentinian Andrea Collarini 6-3 6-3, claiming his maiden tour-level win in the process. Two of the remaining three qualifiers claimed upset wins as German Daniel Altmaier earned a second round berth credit to an impressive second set and Corentin Moutet retiring from the match at 5-7 6-1 0-0, while Italian Alessandro Giannessi joined his two higher-ranked compatriots on the winners list after overcoming Jiri Vesely in a tight 7-6(4) 7-5 clash. The remaining three matches saw Damir Dzumhur, Andrej Martin and Bernarbe Zapata Miralles all earn wins, with the latter two challenged all the way.

SWISS OPEN GSTAAD ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[5] Federico Delbonis (ARG) defeated [WC] Leandro Riedi (SUI) 6-3 6-3
[7] Laslo Djere (SRB) defeated Thiago Seyboth Wild (BRA) 6-4 6-3
Tallon Griekspoor (NED) defeated Juan Ignacio Londero (ARG) 7-5 4-6 7-6
Hugo Gaston (FRA) defeated Juan Manuel Cerundolo (ARG) 6-4 6-2
Dennis Novak (AUT) defeated [LL] Kacper Zuk (POL) 6-4 6-4
Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) defeated [WC] Dominic Stephan Stricker (SUI) 6-4 6-4

MIFEL OPEN ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[5] Jordan Thompson (AUS) defeated [WC] Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 6-4 7-5
[Q] Ernesto Escobedo (USA) defeated [8] Mackenzie McDonald (USA) 6-3 6-4
Illya Marchenko (UKR) defeated Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 6-3 6-2
Yasutaka Uchiyama (JPN) defeated [Q] Alexander Sarkissian (USA) 5-7 6-0 6-4
Elias Ymer (SWE) defeated [Q] Matthew Ebden (AUS) 7-5 6-1
Emilio Gomez (ECU) defeated [Q] Nicolas Mejia (COL) 6-4 6-1

PLAVA LAGUNA CROATIA OPEN UMAG ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

Marco Cecchinato (ITA) defeated [5] Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-1 6-4
[7] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) defeated Lucas Pouille (FRA) 3-6 6-2 6-2
[8] Gianluca Mager (ITA) defeated Pedro Martinez (ESP) 0-6 6-3 6-3
[WC] Duje Ajdukovic (CRO) defeated [Q] Andrea Collarini (ARG) 6-3 6-2
[Q] Daniel Altmaier (GER) defeated Corentin Moutet (FRA) 5-7 6-1 RET
Damir Dzumhur (BIH) defeated [Q] Filip Horanksy (SVK) 6-4 6-3
[Q] Alessandro Giannessi (ITA) defeated Jiri Vesely (CZE) 7-6 7-5
Andrej Martin (SVK) defeated [LL] Renzo Olivo (ARG) 1-6 6-2 7-6
Bernarbe Zapata Miralles (ESP) defeated Pablo Cuevas (URU) 4-6 6-2 6-4

Picture credit: Croatia Open Umag