Spaniards Roberto Bautista and Feliciano Lopez, Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, Portuguese Joao Sousa, German Philipp Kohlschreiber and French Richard Gasquet all won their first round matches and advanced to the next round of the Paris Masters 1,000.
Russian Karen Khachanov, French Gaul Adrian Mannarino and Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili also emerged victorious from the first leg of the tournament on Monday night.
Bautista beat American Steve Johnson 6-4, 7-6 (2) after an hour and 25 minutes of play, advancing to the second round, where he will face ninth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov from Bulgaria, reports Efe news.
Feliciano Lopez defeated Australian Alex de Minaur 6-7 (4), 6-4 and 7-6 (6) and, after saving two match points, reached the second round where he will confront 15th seeded Diego Schwartzman from Argentina.
Joao Sousa became the first opponent of Serbian Novak Djokovic, the second favourite and four-time champion, after eliminating the Italian Marco Cecchinato 7-5, 6-3.
Gasquet defeated Canadian Denis Shapovalov 6-4 and 7-6 (3) and is scheduled to meet with the reigning champion, Jack Sock, 16th seeded.
Russian Karen Khachanov also advanced to the second round where he will face 12th seeded Kyle Edmund from the UK, after beating Serbian Filip Krajinovic 7-5, 6-2.
Adrian Mannarino had no problems to break his countryman Ugo Humbert, who could only score two games. Mannarino will face Japanese Kei Nishikori, 10th seeded and recent finalist in the tournament in Vienna.
German Philipp Kohlschreiber had more problems while eliminating Dutchman Robin Haase. Kohlschreiber needed to overcome and hurry through all three sets 6-7 (4), 6-4 and 6-2) before advancing to the next round to play against fifth-seeded Marin Cilic from Croatia.
Finally, Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, who in the second round will play against South African Kevin Anderson, benefited from the abandonment of Australian John Millman. The Australian retired due to injury after losing the first set 6-4.
--IANS
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