Tiafoe back on track in Lyon, Bublik reaches QFs

Frances Tiafoe snapped a three-match tour-level losing streak on Tuesday at the Open Parc, where he moved past Spaniard Jaume Munar to reach the second round on debut in Lyon.

The American led Munar 4-3 before play was suspended on Monday night. Returning on Tuesday, the 26-year-old sealed a 7-6(5), 6-4 victory after one hour and 41 minutes.

Tiafoe enjoyed a strong start to his clay-court season in Houston, where he reached the final at the ATP 250. However, he suffered opening-round exits in Madrid and Rome and fell in his opening match at the ATP Challenger Tour 175 event in Cagliari.

The World No. 26 looked closer to his best against Munar, striking 32 winners and committing 10 unforced errors in his first match at the clay-court event. The fifth seed will next play Arthur Rinderknech.

Alexander Bublik also advanced on Day 3. The second seed dispatched Australian Aleksandar Vukic 6-4, 6-2 to reach his third tour-level quarter-final on clay and first since Madrid in 2021.

The World No. 19 fired 10 aces and saved both break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to secure victory after 71 minutes in France. Bublik's best result on clay this season came in Madrid, where he reached the fourth round.

Bublik, who is chasing his second title of the season, will next meet Pavel Kotov after the World No. 57 beat French wild card Alexandre Muller 7-6(8), 6-1.

In other action, Frenchmen Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Hugo Gaston advanced to the second round.

Wild card Mpetshi Perricard defeated Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-4 to earn his first tour-level win and first against a Top 50 opponent in the PIF ATP Rankings. The 20-year-old, competing at a career-high No. 117, won 82 per cent (28/34) of his first-serve points to advance after 77 minutes.

Mpetshi Perricard has won three ATP Challenger Tour titles this season and will next play Yoshihito Nishioka after the lefty beat German lucky loser Sebastian Fanselow 6-0, 6-1.

Gaston led Colombian qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan 7-6(2), 6-6 when play was suspended on Monday evening. The French qualifier returned to seal a 7-6(2), 7-6(4) triumph. It is the first time the 23-year-old has won on the ATP Tour since Marseille in February.

Thiago Seyboth Wild overcame Spaniard Pedro Martinez 6-4, 6-1 in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. The Brazilian upset Daniil Medvedev at Roland Garros last season.

Luciano Darderi defeated Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel 7-5, 7-6(3). The Italian won his first tour-level title on clay in Cordoba earlier this season.