MARSEILLE, France (AP) - French veteran Nicolas Mahut beat German teen Alexander Zverev 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) to reach the second round of the Open 13 on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old Mahut withstood 10 aces from the 19-year-old Zverev, seeded fifth and considered one of the rising stars of tennis. Both players dropped serve once in the second set. Mahut next plays Slovakian qualifier Norbert Gombos.
Meanwhile, sixth-seeded Richard Gasquet of France won 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 against erratic Robin Haase of the Netherlands, who had 14 aces but dropped serve five times. Gasquet, who has beaten Haase in four of their five career meetings, faces Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the second round.
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Frenchman Julien Benneteau did not face a break point in a 7-5, 6-4 win against 17-year-old Canadian Denis Shapovalov, who had 16 aces but dropped serve twice. Benneteau next plays countryman Gilles Simon, a two-time tournament winner.
There were also first round wins for Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany; Britain’s Ajlaz Bedene, and Ukrainians Illya Marchenko and Sergiy Stakhovsky.
Defending champion Nick Kyrgios of Australia, who is seeded third in Marseille, takes on Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri in the second round on Wednesday.
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