Luca Van Assche Makes Confident Start In Bastad | ATP Tour | Tennis

Luca Van Assche continues to search out his toes on the ATP Tour.

The #NextGenATP Frenchman claimed the fifth tour-level victory of each his profession and the 2023 season Monday by downing residence wild card Dear Nicolae Madaras 7-6(2), 6-4 on the Nordea Open in Bastad. Van Assche prevailed in a topsy-turvy first-round battle that includes seven breaks of serve to guide a second-round conflict towards defending champion Francisco Cerundolo.

“I felt good. It was a really shut match towards a superb participant,” stated Van Assche. “He beat me two years in the past, so I knew he was a tricky participant. It was a tricky match, and on the finish I used to be a bit bit tight, so it was not my good recreation, however I managed to win this match and I’m very blissful.”

Every of Van Assche’s ATP Tour wins have come at completely different occasions, with 4 triumphs on clay being complemented by a maiden grass-court win towards George Loffhagen in Eastbourne. He defeated Stan Wawrinka in Banja Luka in April earlier than pushing Novak Djokovic to a few units within the second spherical, whereas his 16-5 report this yr on the ATP Challenger Tour additionally suggests the 19-year-old is rising more and more accustomed to grinding out wins.

At the moment sixth within the Pepperstone ATP Stay Subsequent Gen Race, Van Assche will hope to succeed in his maiden ATP Tour quarter-final by upsetting Cerundolo in Bastad, a outcome which might additionally increase his probabilities of qualifying for the season-ending 21-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals.

“I’m very blissful to be right here, my first time in Sweden,” stated Van Assche. “I’m wanting ahead to the second spherical towards the defending champion. It will likely be a tricky match, so I’ll simply put together and be prepared for it.”