Marco Cecchinato treats himself to derby with Lorenzo Sonego

Marco Cecchinato advances in Umag

Winning debut for Marco Cecchinato in the Umag ATP 250. The Palermo-based tennis player defeated Russian Alexander Shevchenko, world number 93, in a comeback with a score of 4-6 7-6 6-3 after nearly three hours of play in a match that had been suspended due to rain earlier in the day Tuesday at 5-3 40-40 in favor of the Russian in the first set.

The match began with three breaks in a row, two for Shevchenko, who then managed to hold serve and stretch the score. When the Russian found himself two points from the set, however, a thunderstorm arrived, postponing the match until Wednesday. The interruption, however, does not upset Shevchenko, who makes the first set his own 6-4.

In the second set the balance is broken at 3-3 with the Russian grabbing a break that seemed to carry him to victory. Here, however, comes the rabid reaction of the Italian who signs the counterbreak and drags the set to the tiebreak, dominating it and winning it 7 points to 0. With the inertia in his favor, Marco immediately climbs ahead by a break in the third set and on 5-3 gets a second one that coincides with the victory.

In the second round, the Palermo tennis player will face compatriot Lorenzo Sonego, the number two seed in the Croatian tournament.