In the second round, Rusuvuori will face French hard-serving Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
29.7. 23:51•Updated 29.7. 23:54
Emil Ruusuvuori defeated Croatia Borna Coricin set 2–1 (6–7, 7–6, 6–4) in the opening round of the ATP500 tennis tournament in Washington. Ruusuvuori is 71st in the world list, Coric 12 places lower.
The first two sets stretched into cutoff games, when neither managed to break the pass. In the third set, Ruusuvuori was able to break and escape and take a 4–2 lead. The two-point lead was enough until the end.
Rusuvuori will face a hard-seeded France in the second round on Wednesday By Giovanni Mpetshi Perricardiwho knocked out the Finn in the third round of Wimbledon.
The match was Ruusuvuori’s first on hard outdoor courts after the grass season. He will play his first tournament in Washington without his long-time coach Federico Ricciawith whom the collaboration ended after Wimbledon.
Wimbledon men’s doubles winners Harri Heliövaara and Henry Patten are the No. 1 seeds in the Washington doubles tournament. They will meet in the opening round Ivan Dodigin and Ben Shelton’s the night before Tuesday.