Matteo Arnaldi came back from a break down in each set to beat past Luca Van Assche 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-3) in 2 hours and 6 minutes at the BNP Paris in Indian Wells. Arnaldi set up a match against last year’s Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Van Assche earned a break in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead after two errors from Arnaldi with a backhand and a drop-shot. Arnaldi saved a break point in the fifth game with a forehand winner.
Arnaldi broke back in the sixth game at 15 to draw level to 3-3. The Italian player earned two set points at 6-4 in the tie-break with a crosscourt passing shot, but Van Assche saved them with a backhand return to draw level to 6-6. Arnaldi closed out the tie-break 8-6 on his fourth set point after Van Assche made a double fault.
Van Assche earned an early break after two errors on his forehand and one on his backhand. The Frenchman saved a break-back point to hold serve in the second game. Arnaldi broke back in the seventh game and held serve to draw level to 4-4. Arnaldi rallied from 0-30 down at 4-5 to hold serve in the 10thgame.
Van Assche faced two break points after a backhand error and double fault but he saved them to hold serve at deuce.
Arnaldi earned two mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-3.
Brandon Nakashima did not face a break point in his 6-3 7-6 (7-3) win over Christopher Eubanks.
Nakashima converted on his only break point in the eighth game to win the first set 6-3. The second set went on serve en route to the tie-break. Nakashima earned two mini-breaks and sealed the win on his second match point.
“First of all, walking onto the court is super special for me. Playing a guy like Chris, who has a big game, big serve, I knew I just had to do my best to hold my serve and knew I was going to get opportunities on his serve. I think the surface favours me a little bit more. With the slower surface, the ball is not coming at me as fast, but I am happy with the way I play”, said Nakashima.
Thanasi Kokkinakis beat Marcos Giros 6-3 7-5. Christopher O’Connell came back from one set down to beat Jack Draper 1-6 6-3 6-2.