#NextGenATP Jordan Star Shelbayh Advances In Metz, Humbert Beats Thiem

Moselle Open

#NextGenATP Jordan star Abdullah Shelbayh earned just his second tour-level win of the season on Tuesday when he defeated Frenchman Hugo Gaston 7-6(5), 6-2 at the Moselle Open.

The 19-year-old came through qualifying at the ATP 250 event and made the most of his main-draw chance, saving one set point on serve in the first set and breaking Gaston’s serve five times to advance to the second round after one hour and 41 minutes. His other main-draw tour-level win came in Banja Luka in April.

Shelbayh, who won an ATP Challenger Tour title in Charleston last month, is up 29 spots to No. 186 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. He will face sixth seed and defending champion Lorenzo Sonego in the second round.

Fourth-seeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert beat former World No. 3 Dominic Thiem 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 to reach his fourth tour-level quarter-final since October.

The home favourite fired 11 aces and won 84 per cent (48/57) of his first-serve points to advance after two hours and 42 minutes, setting a last-eight clash with countryman Harold Mayot.

The 25-year-old Humbert has been in strong form in recent weeks, reaching the semi-finals in Basel and the quarter-finals in Shanghai and Beijing, Humbert is chasing his first tour-level trophy of 2023 in Metz.

Karen Khachanov reached a personal-best 10th tour-level quarter-final of the season, downing Constant Lestienne 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 28 minutes.

The third seed, who holds a 14-5 record in opening-round matches in 2023, arrived in Metz off the back of a run to the quarter-finals in Paris. Khachanov is seeking his second title of the season after triumphing in Zhuhai and will next play Mate Valkusz or Alexander Shevchenko.

In other action, Fabio Fognini beat Thiago Seyboth Wild 7-6(3), 7-6(9) to clinch his first tour-level win since Roland Garros in May. Hungarian lucky loser Mate Valkusz also advanced, defeating Daniel Altmaier 6-2, 6-2.