Young Canadian star Felix Auger-Aliassime has made an excellent start to the Banja Luka Challenger. The 17 year old defeated former NCAA champion Blaz Rola 6-3, 6-1 to progress to the second round.
Auger-Aliassime is ranked at No.168 in the world. He jumped up 58 places after winning his second Challenger title of the season in Seville last week. Auger-Aliassime will face former Top 100 player Daniel Gimeno-Traver in the second round. The veteran Spaniard received a wildcard to gain entry to the tournament. He duly repaid the organisers faith by beating 8th seed Vaclav Safranek yesterday.
Auger-Aliassime was not the only teenage prodigy in the draw. Miomir Kecmanovic failed to make it past the first round though, as he fell to Spain’s Carlos Taberner 6-3, 6-4.
Jaume Munar was another young player who did make it through. The 20 year old is the 7th seed, and he eased past lucky loser Erik Crepaldi 6-1, 6-4.
3rd seed Maximilian Marterer continued his quest to reach the Top 100 with a convincing 6-3, 6-1 win over Kimmer Coppejans, and top seed Roberto Carballes Baena beat lucky loser Andreas Haider Maurer 7-5, 6-3.
6th seed Lorenzo Giustino was the main name out at this stage. He lost 6-4, 6-4 to Tomislav Brkic.
