Kitzbühel, July 22: Argentine tennis star Sebastián Báez secured his spot in the second round of the ‘Generali Open’ by defeating Miomir Kecmanović on Tuesday. The clay court tournament in Kitzbühel, Austria, saw Báez deliver an impressive performance, overcoming the Serbian player in a tightly contested match.
In this ATP 250 event featuring two former champions, Báez triumphed with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. This victory marked Báez’s first win against Kecmanović in their four tour-level encounters. According to ATP stats, the 2023 champion Báez faced 13 break points, converting only three, yet he managed to secure the win over the 2020 champion after 1 hour and 49 minutes of play.
In a post-match interview on the court, Báez expressed his joy at returning, stating, “I’m happy to be back because I love this place. I enjoy the people, the crowd, the courts, and the city. We’ve known each other for many years. I think the key today was to stay focused on every point, as the altitude here makes it challenging to control the ball at times. I believe I handled it well today, so I’m happy to advance to the next round.”
Báez had previously claimed the 2023 title in the Austrian Alps by defeating local favorite Dominic Thiem. Next, he will face third-seeded Arthur Rinderknech in a bid to reach this year’s quarter-finals. The 25-year-old Argentine’s record for the 2026 season now stands at 20-16, which includes his journey to the finals of the Auckland Championship in January.
Meanwhile, on the same day in Kitzbühel, Jan-Lennard Struff also secured a hard-fought victory in three sets. The sixth-seeded German player, competing for the first time since reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals, defeated Alexander Shevchenko 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4, setting up a match against Mariano Navone.
Marco Trungelliti and Quentin Halys both began their campaigns in Kitzbühel with straight-set victories. Trungelliti defeated eighth seed Juan Manuel Cerúndolo 6-2, 6-1 to advance to the second round, where he will face Yannick Hanfmann. Halys overcame Laslo Djere with a score of 7-6(4), 6-4, and will next compete against second seed Valentin Vacherot.
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