ATP Tour

Fery rallies from brink to earn 'roller coaster' R1 win in Eastbourne

Arthur Fery earned a memorable win Tuesday at the Lexus Eastbourne Open, where he battled from the brink to survive Roman Andres Burruchaga 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 to advance to the second round at the ATP 250.

Fery’s first-round win on Tuesday marks the first time in tournament history that six home players are featured in the men’s singles round of 16 lineup, with Jan Choinski, Jack Draper, Jack Pinnington Jones, Giles Hussey and Toby Samuel also into the second round.

"It was a roller coaster," Fery said. "I started off very well, came out of the blocks and then struggled a lot in the second set and to start the third. He was playing a lot better... Then I just tried to dig deep and tried to get the break back and then managed to get over the line."

The British wild card was down 3-5 in the third set but reeled off four consecutive games to seal the victory in two hours and 17 minutes. Fery fired 30 winners to Burruchaga's 18 and converted four of the seven break points he earned, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The 23-year-old, who last week reached his first tour-level quarter-final at Queen's Club, will next face eighth seed Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo for a place in the last eight.

In other action, Thiago Agustin Tirante notched his first grass-court win by defeating British lucky loser Hamish Stewart 7-5, 6-2. The Argentine will next face lucky loser Samuel. Tirante has earned 13 of 16 tour-level wins this season on clay and is this week competing in his first ATP Tour event on grass.

Sixth seed Ugo Humbert, Daniel Altmaier and Jenson Brooksby were also among those who earned first-round wins on Tuesday at the ATP 250. Humbert held firm to edge Mattia Bellucci 7-6(5), 6-7(1), 6-4 in two hours and 41 minutes. Halle semi-finalist Altmaier defeated Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 7-6(4), while Brooksby downed Aleksandar Vukic 7-5, 6-1.