After the qualifying draw was finished, it was time to let the main draw begin. Four singles matches and three doubles matches filled the courts of the Millennium Estoril Open, this Monday.
Millennium Stadium
In the main court, Yoshihito Nishioka and Mackenzie McDonald opened the session, with the Japanese prevailing in two sets. The match ended 6-2, 6-4, in a little bit more than an hour.
Reilly Opelka and Pedro Sousa stepped in the court to play the second match of the day in this stadium, in one of the most expected matches of the journey for the audience. Everyone was expecting to see the home player Sousa playing, but unfortunately, the crowd didn't see their player winning. Opelka confirmed his favoritism and got the victory in two tough sets 7-6(2), 6-4 in 1 hour and 24 minutes.
After two tennis battles, it was time for the last singles match of the day in this court. The qualifier João Domingues and the sixth seed Alex de Minaur faced off in a tough battle which ended 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 with the Portuguese passing through to the next round. This is the best victory of Domingues career.
Last but not least, the doubles match between Gonzalez/Qureshi and Mayer/Sousa happened in the main court. A very strong match with very good doubles players but only one team could get the win and that team was Mayer/Sousa, semifinalists here last season, who prevailed by the score of 6-4, 6-4.
Court Cascais
Guido Andreozzi and Hugo Dellien were the first players to play in Court Cascais in this first day of the main draw. Andreozzi defeated his opponent in straight sets 6-3, -6-3, in one hour and nine minutes and will now face Stefanos Tsitsipas, the first seed.
Luke Bambridge and Jonny O'Mara faced Dusan Lajovic and Nenad Zimonjic in the second battle of the day in Court Cascais. The British players won and are through to the quarterfinals. The match finished 5-7, 6-0, [10-3], in more than one hour.
To end the day on Court Cascais there was another doubles match. this time, between Bolelli/Lindstedt and Chardy/Martin. Chardy/Martin ousted the other team in three tight sets 6-7(4), 7-6(3), [10-7].
Tuesday order of play
Millennium Stadium
The matches on the main court start at 1 pm GMT with the wildcard Pablo Carreno Busta facing the French Jeremy Chardy. Pablo has a win-loss record of 13-3 at the Millennium Estoril Open and plays very well when he is in Portugal. Jeremy Chardy has played this event only once, in 2015, when he lost to Borna Coric in the first round.
João Sousa is the defending champion and starts his campaign this Tuesday on the second match of the Stadium Millennium. He will play against the qualifier Alexei Popyrin, the youngest player in the draw. They have never met each other before.
In the third match of the day in the Stadium Millennium, Frances Tiafoe is going to try to defeat Mikhail Kukushkin. The eighth seed lost in the final last year and will now try to go one step further, but first, he needs to knock out the 40th ranked on ATP.
To close the session on this court, there is a doubles match. It will oppose Gastão Elias and Pedro Sousa to the second seeds Ben McLachlan and Matwe Middelkoop.
Court Cascais
In this court, the journey starts at 12 pm GMT. Malek Jaziri is going to fight for a place in the second round against Nicolas Jarry. The Chilean played here in the last two editions and lost in the quarterfinals in the last time. Jaziri played the event in 2017 when he lost in the first round to the home player Gastão Elias.
Pablo Cuevas entered the draw as a lucky loser, because Filip Krajinovic withdrew, and has an opportunity to revenge his last match against Salvatore Caruso. The players met in the last round of the qualifying and Caruso won 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. Now, in the second match of the day in Court Cascais, they'll meet again.
The day will finish on this court with Leonardo Mayer facing the fifth seed and Monte Carlo Rolex Masters semifinalist, Dusan Lajovic. Mayer leads their head to head 2-1 but won all matches at the ATP Tour level. Lajovic is in great shape and very confident.
Court 3
There will be two matches in the third court. Both are singles matches. Taylor Fritz and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will open the session at 12 pm GMT. The players met in the qualifying of Mutua Madrid Open last season, with the American prevailing in three sets.
Bernard Tomic and John Millman will follow the match of the American against the Spanish and fight for a place in the second round. Tomic is 2-1 against Millman overall.
Order of play
