Rising Belgian tennis player David Goffin is through to the second round of the Rome Masters after clinching a comeback win on Monday. The number nine seed was made to work by lucky loser Thomaz Bellucci. Goffin, 26, eventually made it past the 29-year-old in a three-set battle 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4.
Goffin recovered from a set and a break down in the second set to claim the win over Bellucci. World number 10 Goffin hit nine aces and converted each of his six break point chances in the match. It took two hours and 31 minutes for Goffin to take a 3-2 head-to-head record over Bellucci and set up a meeting with Spain's Fernando Verdasco in the next round.
Berdych marches on
World number 13 Tomas Berdych has also prolonged his campaign at the Rome Masters by beating Germany's veteran Mischa Zverev. The big-serving Czech prevailed over the 29-year-old player from Germany in straight sets in an hour and 49 minutes of action 7-6 (9-7) 6-4. Zverev had three set points in the first-set tie-break but didn't convert his chances and paid the price by losing the opener. Berdych broke the serve of Zverev in the fifth game of the second set and then routinely held his serve to end on the winning side.
Berdych is now set to fight against qualifier Carlos Berlocq in the following round. Argentine veteran Berlocq outclassed world number 43 Robin Haase on Monday.
A not so great campaign this year in Rome
France's Lucas Pouille lost in the opening round of the Rome Masters just a year after being a semifinalist of the Italian tournament. The 11th-seeded Frenchman had his run concluded on Monday after falling to veteran Sam Querrey. The American tennis player dismissed world number 16 Pouille in two tight sets 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (10-8).
Querrey saved two sets points in the first set and three set points in the second set. He hit 14 aces in an hour and 53 minutes of the battle against Pouille. It was the second-ever meeting between the two and the second win for Querrey over Pouille.
29-year-old Querrey will be clashing off against qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff next, who defeated Australian Bernard Tomic in the first round.
Other results
Great Britain's Aljaz Bedene made the second round of the Rome Masters after being on a brink of elimination. Wildcard Gianluca Mager had a 7-6 (7-3) 4-2 lead but couldn't hold on and eventually retired the match after losing next seven games to Bedene. Unseeded Viktor Troicki saved two set points in the first set against another wildcard Stefano Napolitano to progress in Rome 7-6 (7-1) 6-2. The match came to an end after an hour and 28 minutes of play.
