AN intriguing day at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, Austria, saw the Round of 32 completed with two predicted outcomes going to plan, and two players unable to contain their opposition. Meanwhile, part of the Round of 16 began, with world number one Novak Djokovic surviving a scare from Croatian Borna Coric as Kevin Anderson continued his great form.

Completing the Round of 32 were third and fourth seeds Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev, both reigning supreme over their respective opposition, though the former only after a tight and shaky start against Jan-Lennard Struff. Unfortunately for Struff, Tsitsipas came out fighting in the second set after struggling to capitalise during the first set tiebreaker, and eventually came out on top in the 6-7 6-3 6-4 battle in less than two hours. Both players used their great serves to consistently capitalise, with Tsitsipas (82 per cent winning rate, 12 aces and two double faults) marginally edging out Struff (79 per cent winning rate, 10 aces, two double faults), and it was just Tsitsipas’ ability to continue along the same vein on the return that kept him ahead for much of the contest.

Medvedev downed Chinese Taipei talent Jason Jung in just 65 minutes, outclassing Jung and consistently keeping him on the run in the 6-3 6-1 victory. With a 77 per cent winning rate off his first serve and 68 per cent on the second serve, Medvedev was much more effective on serve and won a whopping 76 per cent of points off Jung’s second serve to run away with the win.

The final two Round of 32 matches sparked plenty of interest, as one young gun in wildcard Jannik Sinner reigned supreme over Casper Ruud, 7-6 6-3. The 19-year-old Italian Sinner, did not just command his service games with a 70 per cent winning rate overall, but also capitalised on the return with a 54 per cent winning rate off Ruud’s inefficient second serve. Meanwhile, the other youngster in Felix Auger-Aliassime – who has been in great form in recent weeks – was disposed of in a tight match by compatriot Vasek Pospisil. Pospisil outlasted 20-year-old Auger-Aliassime in the 7-5 7-5 battle, much more effective on both his service and return games in the close encounter. To the young Canadian’s credit, he forced Pospisil – 10 years his senior – to run and fight every second to stay ahead, but was unable to capitalise off his final service game allowing Pospisil to complete the match in one hour and 49 minutes.

In the Round of 16, close start between Djokovic and Coric saw a huge two-hour and seven-minute battle play out, with Djokovic narrowly winning the first set 7-6 (11) to break Coric’s serve early in the second set and run out the 7-6 6-3 victor. The serving stats sat around the same numbers efficiency-wise, but it was Djokovic’s ability to not only save 100 per cent of his break points but also convert, winning seven more points overall in the tight tussle.

Anderson continued to impress, with a 7-5 6-1 victory over Pablo Carreno Busta in 82 minutes testament to that. The South African once again used his excellent serve to come out on top, hitting 14 aces for three double faults, and while he only served at 54 per cent, he won a whopping 90 per cent of points (28 from 31) off his first serve. While Carreno Busta was certainly more consistent of his serve, it was to his detriment only winning 26 per cent of points on return.