Schwartzman defeated, but Sela claims first round win
Top-ranked Jewish tennis player continues disappointing form, but there's a first win in nearly two months for highest-ranked Israeli
Diego Schwartzman and Dudi Sela have enjoyed mixed fortunes as they returned to the court after their disappointing Wimbledon campaigns.
Schwartzman, who reached the second round at SW19, was back on his favoured clay surface at the Swedish Open in Båstad, though suffered a straight-sets defeat against Simone Bolelli.
Slipping down a place in the world rankings, to 12, he broke the Italian in his first service game, and had the chance to serve out for the set, though saw Boletti break back. Two further breaks of serve ensured the set headed to a tiebreak – which proved to be a topsy-turvy one – with both men spurning set points – before Boletti took his third one to win it 10-8.
The second set saw Schwartzman spurn three break points in Boletti’s first service game, before he did so in his second to go 2-1 up. Unable to consolidate it, the set was back level at 2-2, but Boletti secured further breaks to take the second set 6-3, and complete a disappointing afternoon for the Argentine.
Elsewhere at the Hall of Fame Championships in Newport, Dudi Sela won his first competitive match for nearly two months by beating Bernard Tomic in three sets. Breaking midway through the first set to take it 6-3, he then suffered a double-break in the second, losing it 6-1 as Tomic took control. However, another early break saw him regain the initiative, with another break easing him to a 6-2 third set win. He next faces Croatian Ivo Karlović, later on Wednesday, for a place in the quarter-finals.
His compatriot Jonathan Erlich is also taking part in the doubles event at the tournament. Playing alongside New Zealand-Russian Artem Sitak. they face Australians Jordan Thompson and Leyton Hewitt in the first round, also scheduled for Wednesday evening.
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