Aljaz Bedene advanced to the second round of the Open Sud de France with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 win over Borna Coric in just under two hours. Bedene will next take on fourth seed Alexander Zverev.

Bedene takes opening set late

It was Coric who got off to the better start. After a long game in which he saved a break point, the Croat would break in the third game, Bedene gifting his serve with a double fault at 15-40. The Brit would recover the break in the sixth game courtesy of a Coric forehand error.

After both men held comfortably through the next five games, it was Bedene who scored the decisive break, Coric committing a backhand error at 6-5 down to give the 109th-ranked Bedene the opening set in 44 minutes.

Coric forces a deciding set

It appeared a straightforward victory was headed Bedene's way after a backhand exchange on break point saw the Brit jump ahead 2-0, now firmly in control of the match. Coric would respond, breaking right back when Bedene flew a forehand long.

Coric hits a forehand in Montpellier//Photo: Twitter
Coric hits a forehand in Montpellier//Photo: Twitter

Both men started to progress on the other player's serve and Coric broke through again in the seventh game when Bedene missed a backhand long. Now with a 4-3 lead, the Croat needed two holds to claim the second set and he did so, but not without a struggle. Ahead 5-4, he needed four set points before forcing a third set.

Bedene blasts past Coric to take third set

The third set was all Bedene as he streaked past Coric, winning the final five games from 1-1. On his second break point, he was donated the break when Coric committed another of his 30 forehand errors, the Brit ahead 3-1.

Bedene ran awah with the third set to take the match/Photo: Twitter
Bedene ran away with the third set to take the match/Photo: Twitter

After being pushed to deuce on his serve before holding for a 4-1 lead, Bedene got the insurance break in the next game and proceeded to serve out the match, firing his eighth and final ace on match point to advance to the second round.

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John Lupo
I am a writer and photographer. I have two Instagrams: @lupojohn1 is my personal account while @dslr_transit_photos is my photography account as I do transit photography in my hometown of New York City.