Hamburg Open: Buse knocks out defending champion Cobolli, Auger-Aliassime powers into Rd 2
Hamburg, May 19
Qualifier Ignacio Buse defeated defending champion Flavio Cobolli in straight sets, while top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime began his Hamburg Open campaign in Germany with confidence on Tuesday.
Buse, continuing what has rapidly become a breakthrough season on the ATP Tour, delivered an impressive all-round display to defeat world No. 12 Cobolli 6-2, 7-5 in just over 90 minutes. The 22-year-old Peruvian looked composed throughout the contest and did not allow a single break point against the defending champion.
"I knew I could win. The level is very similar, and if I have a good day, I think I could compete. I tried to go out convinced, and it worked. I think I played very good. I was very comfortable. Flavio didn't have a great match, but it's difficult to play these matches against the top players. I'm very happy with the win, but I have to prepare for tomorrow now," Buse said after securing only his second career victory over a Top-20 opponent.
Currently ranked a career-high No. 57 in the ATP Rankings, Buse has increasingly established himself as a dangerous clay-court player this season. Fifteen of his 16 tour-level victories have come on the surface, including a semifinal run in Rio de Janeiro earlier this year. The Peruvian, who is making his debut appearance in Hamburg, will next face Jakub Mensik in the second round.
For Cobolli, the defeat represents a disappointing end to his title defence ahead of the upcoming French Open. The Italian is also projected to slip two places to No. 14 in the live ATP rankings following the early exit.
Earlier in the day, Auger-Aliassime overcame a slow start before asserting his authority in a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Czech player Vit Kopriva. The Canadian, who had concerns over a leg problem after his opening-round loss in Rome earlier this month, appeared physically sharp and aggressive from the baseline as he wrapped up the contest in 84 minutes.
"You must have a smile on your face when you win. On this Tour, there are tough matches, tough weeks, so every win matters. I didn't know my opponent too well. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I needed to be ready for a high level from him," Auger-Aliassime said after the match.
The world No. 5 has now built an impressive record in tournament openers, winning 14 of his last 16 first-round matches since August last year.
Auger-Aliassime will next meet American lucky loser Aleksandar Kovacevic, who capitalised on his unexpected entry into the main draw by defeating Arthur Gea 6-2, 7-6(3).
— IANS
Reader Comments
Auger-Aliassime seems to be finding his form again after that Rome hiccup. His record in first-round matches is incredible! But I notice he's never really gone deep in Slams consistently. For a top-5 player, he needs to convert these early-round wins into bigger titles. Still, good to see him smiling through the tough weeks.
What a season for Buse! 15 of 16 wins on clay? That's seriously impressive for a 22-year-old. Makes you wonder how much more he can achieve in the coming years. The way he dismantled Cobolli without giving a single break point chance shows real mental strength. Good luck to him against Mensik. 🤞
Honestly, Cobolli's title defense ending this early is surprising. But Buse played lights-out tennis. That said, I'm not sure if this is a sign of Cobolli's dip or Buse's emergence. Either way, the Hamburg Open has some exciting matches ahead. Hopefully, FAA can carry this momentum into the French Open.
It's a shame that Indian tennis hasn't been able to produce such talent on the world stage. Buse's journey from qualifier to beating a defending champion is the kind of underdog story we rarely see from our players. Happy for him, but also a little jealous! Hope we see an Indian player do something similar soon. 🙏
I'm impressed by Buse's mentality—he said he knew he could win and played with conviction. That's half the battle in tennis. FAA's record in openers is fantastic but his
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