FORMER world number three Dominic Thiem has returned home to much support, winning through to the second round of the ATP 250 event in Kitzbuhel. The Austrian star’s homecoming – at the tournament where he made his debut 11 years ago – was a sweet one, putting away lucky loser, Alexander Shevchenko in straight sets.

Thiem won 6-4 6-2 in and hour and 29 minutes despite admittedly being “very, very nervous” heading into the match. The 2019 Kitzbuhel champion was too strong for his inexperienced opponent, claiming the victory with a strong return game, winning 50 per cent of his return points and claiming four breaks of serve throughout the Round of 32 match.

“I was very, very nervous because even though the past weeks were better and better, I’m still not like two or three years ago when everything was going by itself somehow,” Thiem said post-match. “My goal was to be able to give a good show, to give good tennis to this amazing crowd and I’m happy that I was able to do it.

“Definitely it was a very tough match [physically], long rallies. Sometimes amazing pace from both of us and I’m very happy with the way I started here in Kitzbühel,” Thiem said. “Obviously the way I walked in with the atmosphere, with all the memories with the full centre court, it was unreal and it gave me goosebumps. I’m super happy to be the winner tonight.”

In other Kitzbuhel results, fellow Austrian, qualifier Sebastian Ofner reached the Round of 16, but it was not as promising for the experienced Gerald Melzer who went down when he retired at a set down and 1-1 in the second set against Yannick Hanfmann. Spaniards Pedro Martinez and Pablo Andujar both won through to the second round to complete the five matches at the tournament.

Four other tournaments took place across the globe with the Atlanta and Umag ATP 250 events, and Prague and Warsaw WTA 250 events. All the results are below.

AROUND THE TOUR RESULTS:

Atlanta – ATP 250 | Hard

Round of 32:

[5] Tommy Paul (USA) defeated [WC] Jack Sock (USA) 6-1 6-1
[6] Jenson Brooksby (USA) defeated Benoit Paire (FRA) 6-3 6-1
Ilya Ivashka (BLR) defeated Quentin Halys (FRA) 6-0 3-6 6-3
Mackenzie McDonald (USA) defeated Denis Kudla (USA) 6-2 7-6
[WC] Ben Shelton (USA) defeated [Q] Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) 6-2 7-5

Kitzbuhel – ATP 250 | Clay

Round of 32:

[7] Pedro Martinez (ESP) defeated [WC] Nicolas Jarry (CHI) 7-6 6-4
Pablo Andujar (ESP) defeated [9] Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 6-4 3-6 7-6
[Q] Sebastian Ofner (AUT) defeated [10] Richard Gasquet (FRA) 1-6 7-5 7-5
[PR] Dominic Thiem (AUT) defeated [LL] Alexander Shevchenko (RUS) 6-4 6-2
Yannick Hanfmann (GER) defeated [Q] Gerald Melzer (AUT) 6-4 1-1 RET

Umag – ATP 250 | Clay

Round of 32:

[5] Alex Molcan (SLO) defeated [WC] Duje Ajdukovic (CRO) 6-2 7-6
[Q] Corentin Moutet (FRA) defeated [6] Daniel Altmaier (GER) 6-4 6-2
[8] Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) defeated [PR] Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-2 3-6 6-1
[Q] Franco Agamenone (ITA) defeated Laslo Djere (SRB) 7-6 2-6 7-5
Facundo Bagnis (ARG) defeated Tomas Etcheverry (ARG) 7-5 6-3
[LL] Norbert Gombos (SVK) defeated Federico Delbonis (ARG) 6-4 5-7 6-4
Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP) defeated [WC] Dino Prizmic CRO) 6-4 3-0 RET

Prague – WTA 250 | Hard

Round of 32:

[1] Anett Kontaveit (EST) defeated Ekaterine Gorgodze (GEO) 6-0 6-1
[2] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) defeated Anna Blinkova (RUS) 6-3 6-1
[Q] Oksana Selekhmeteva (RUS) defeated [4] Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 7-5 6-4
[5] Alize Cornet (FRA) defeated [Q] Anastasia Zakharova (RUS) 6-2 6-3
[WC] Lucie Havlickova (CZE) defeated [Q] Barbora Palicova (CZE) 6-2 7-6
[WC] Linda Noskova (CZE) defeated [LL] Natalia Vikhlyantseva (RUS) 6-2 3-1 RET
[Q] Dominika Salkova (CZE) defeated Ylena In-Albon (SUI) 6-1 6-4
Viktoriya Tomova (BUL) defeated Daria Snigur (UKR) 6-4 6-2

Warsaw – WTA 250 | Clay

Round of 32:

Ana Bogdan (ROU) defeated [7] Nuria Parrizas Diaz (ESP) 6-4 7-6
[10] Jasmine Paolini (ITA) defeated Danka Kovinic (MON) 6-1 6-1
Clara Burel (FRA) defeated Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) 7-6 6-1