Hurkacz needs 2 hours to beat Eubanks to start Halle Open title defense
Germany's Alexander Zverev returns the ball to Austria's Dominic Thiem during their first round tennis match at the ATP tennis tournament in Halle, Germany, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. Credit: AP/Friso Gentsch
HALLE, Germany — Hubert Hurkacz withstood a strong challenge from American Christopher Eubanks before starting his Halle Open title defense with a 6-4, 6-7 (11), 6-3 win on Tuesday.
The sixth-seeded Polish player hit 22 aces and needed more than two hours to overcome the 77th-ranked Eubanks. Hurkacz next faces Tallon Griekspoor at the grass-court tournament.
Griekspoor defeated Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena 6-2, 7-5.
Third-seeded Andrey Rublev defeated Wu Yibing 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2 to set up a second-round meeting with German wild-card entry Yannick Hanfmann.
Fourth-seeded Jannik Sinner defeated Richard Gasquet 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 and home favorite Alexander Zverev beat Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-4.
Alexander Bublik, Roberto Bautista Agut and Lorenzo Sonego also advanced.
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