Paul Makes Perfect Start To His Season In Adelaide

Tommy Paul made two quarter-finals in Adelaide last year. Will the American advance even further this week?

The World No. 35 won his first match of the season Tuesday, when he defeated Australian lucky loser Christopher O’Connell 6-4, 7-5 to reach the second round of the Adelaide International 2.

“First match of the season is always a little tough and everyone has nerves going into the first match, so I was happy to go out and play the way that I did,” Paul said. “I didn’t really do too much wrong and I served well.”

Paul faced just one break point, which he saved, and won 81 per cent of his service points in the match.

“I was down in Floirida practising a bunch,” Paul said. “I was on court with Reilly [Opelka] a little bit, so hopefully he rubbed off on me a little bit and I can keep that going this week.”

The eighth seed will next face Briton Jack Draper, who advanced on Monday over Italian Lorenzo Sonego.

One night after Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis won a thriller on centre court, countryman Jason Kubler won another. The wild card ousted Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6(2), 7-5 after two hours and 10 minutes.

There were two final-set tie-breaks on Tuesday. Home favourite John Millman clawed past Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) and Dutch lucky loser Robin Haase rallied past Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi 3-6, 7-6(8), 7-6(3). Switzerland's Marc-Andrea Huesler outlasted Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.