CHENNAI: The first match of the new season can always be tricky as players come out of a long lay-off. Some manage to shed the rustiness, while many suffer setbacks.
France’s Edouard Roger-Vasselin, last year’s finalist, learnt the truth the hard way as he lost 7-6 (13/11), 1-6, 6-7 (3/7) to Gilles Muller of Luxembourg at the Chennai Open on Monday.
Later on, the athletic Borna Coric of Croatia lived up to his reputation as one of the most promising players on the circuit with a clinical 6-2, 6-2 win over Robin Haase of the Netherlands.
Seventh seed Marcel Granollers of Spain became the first casualty when he retired midway against unseeded Austria’s Andreas Haider-Maurer due to cramps.
Results: Singles (first round): A Haider-Maurer (AUT) bt [7] M Granollers (ESP) 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 2-0 ret; [8] G Muller (LUX) bt E Roger-Vasselin (FRA) 6-7 (11/13), 6-1, 7-6 (7/3); B Coric (CRO) bt R Haase (NED) 6-2, 6-2.