Lucas Pouille enjoys playing in its district and it was visible on the Lille courts where native from Loon-Plage was strong and patient to take down his compatriot Hugo Grenier. After a tight first set, the former ranked number 10 made the difference in the tie-break, before doing the break in the middle of the second set. Enough to gain the match with authority (7-6, 6-3, 1h29). « I started playing better and better from the end of the first set and in the tie-break where I did not lose any point on my service (…) His game is quite particular, with no big rythm, he serves very well, he moves well; I had to to be patient», commented Lucas Pouille who thus confirms he is in good shape, as the player is suffering from wrist pain from severel weeks. Direction quarter final for the local player! It will be Friday against the winner of the match between youg rising Belgium star Alexander Blockx (19e, 151e) and Russian Alibek Kachmazov (22 years) who will be played this morning.
Another qualified for quarter final , French Valentin Royer (23 years) who overcame in the evening young Mae Malige (18 years), nice revelation of this beginning of tournament , 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 (2h11).
Bonzi at the finish, Nardi upset
No surprise for French Benjamin Bonzi, top seed of Play In Challenger, who eventually took the best over Pierre-Hugues Herbert, after a very tough match, in three sets, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 (1h55). The French will keep playing this Thursday with a second round against a qualifier, Arthur Bouquier.
On the contrary, Luca Nardi, second seed, disapointed his fans being ousted as of the first round by Ukrainian Oleg Pridhodko (27 years). Italian player, not in a good day, was knocked out in two sets and barely more than one hour : 3-6, 5-7 (1h11). Ukrainian will be faced to French Arthur Gea (20 years, wild-card).
Following and ending of second round this Thursday with a battle between two lucky losers : Tom Paris, who upset Benoît Paire in the first round, and Lucas Poullain. One of them will be for sure very happy tonight!
