After the craziness of day two, things were a lot calmer on day two at the Swiss Indoors. While a seed was still eliminated, the rest of the top guns got the job done without too much fanfare. The final first round matches were completed while a pair of second round matches were also contested. Here’s what happened on Wednesday in Basel.

Results

Third seed Kei Nishikori became the first person to reach the quarterfinals with a straight sets win over the pesky Paolo Lorenzi. In one of two second round matches on Wednesday, Nishikori battered the Italian with his strong returning in the opening set, holding a pair of break points in each of Lorenzi’s first two service games and holding two more in the eighth game, but was unable to break through. Lorenzi could only hold on for so long, as Nishikori took the tiebreak which gave him momentum heading into the second set. The Italian’s resistance was finally broken for good early in the second as the third seed seized the break in the third game. He added a second to take a 5-2 lead and swiftly served out the match in the following game to advance with a 7-6(3), 6-2 victory.

Eighth seed Jack Sock got off to a winning start in Basel with a straight sets victory over France’s Adrian Mannarino. Sock faced pressure from the Frenchman throughout the match, but his strong serve came to the rescue as the Frenchman was unable to convert any of his five break points. Sock, on the other hand, despite missing six break points in the match, four in the first and two in the second set, he still managed break throughs in both, securing the lone break of the opener before adding two more in the second, including for the match. In the end, it was the American taking the 6-3, 6-3 victory. The seed exodus did continue, however, as seventh seed Richard Gasquet retired down 2-6, 1-2 in his first round match against Guido Pella. Check out the full recap here.

Juan Martin del Potro hits a forehand during his first round win. Photo: Harold Cunningham/Getty Images
Juan Martin del Potro hits a forehand during his first round win. Photo: Harold Cunningham/Getty Images

Fresh off his first title in years last week in Stockholm, Juan Martin del Potro continued his winning ways in Basel as he set up a blockbuster clash with David Goffin in the second round by defeating Robin Haase 6-3, 6-4. There were very few chances for either men throughout the first set. In fact, there was only one break point, which was converted by del Potro and that would prove to be enough for the Argentine who took the opening set. The second was completely different. Haase broke early only for del Potro to break back in the following game. The roles were quickly reversed, as it was the Dutchman immediately responding to a break by del Potro. Finally, the Argentine broke for a 5-4 lead and this time Haase had no answer as del Potro held to love to seal the victory.

Pablo Carreno Busta won an all-Spanish encounter with Fernando Verdasco, winning a wild, break point filled match 7-5, 6-3. Joining Carreno Busta in the second round is Mischa Zverev, whose recent good run of form saw him hold off American teen Taylor Fritz 7-6(4), 6-0. After splitting a pair of tiebreaks in the first two sets in his match with Ricardas Berankis, Frederico Delbonis grabbed an early lead and never looked back as he advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-3 win.

All the remaining second round matches will be played on Thursday. 

VAVEL Logo
About the author
Pete Borkowski
Tennis has always been my obsession. What better way to channel that obsession than writing about it? After 18 months of blogging with Sportsblog.com as the writer of A Fan Obsesseds blog, all the while completing my Bachelors in history and French, I joined VAVEL so that I can better share my love and knowledge of tennis with the world.