Marcos Giron overcame Stan Wawrinka in a first-round thriller at the Astana Open, where he clawed past the 38-year-old 6-7(6), 7-6(4), 7-6(8) at the ATP 250 event.
Competing against each other for the first time, there was little to separate the pair throughout the two-hour, 51-minute clash. Neither player faced a break point, with both dictating behind serve. In the third-set tie-break, Giron played consistently, limiting mistakes to pressure former World No. 3 Wawrinka and seal victory.
The American has now earned 20 tour-level wins this season. He achieved a personal-best 23 victories in 2021. Aiming to close that target further, the World No. 82 will next face Dominic Thiem, who fought off a second-set scare, saving three set points, to down Juan Pablo Varillas 6-3, 7-6(8). The Austrian won 80 per cent of his first-serve points, compared to his opponent’s 68 per cent to advance after two hours, 11 minutes.
“I’m really happy that I came through. It was a tough match against a tough opponent,” Thiem said. “Last match against him I lost, in Buenos Aires. I started very well. It was my first match since the US Open, after I had to do a break because of my stomach. I’m really happy to get the win. I got a little bit tight, it was a very close in the second set… It’s very important to be through in two sets.”
Earlier, Adrian Mannarino clinched his 33rd tour-level win of the year to equal his personal-best season. The Frenchman, who earned 33 victories in 2017, defeated Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(4), 6-2.
The World No. 34 will next meet Alibek Kachmazov after the World No. 315 overcame Corentin Moutet 6-3, 7-6(5) in two hours and seven minutes.
Austrian qualifier Jurij Rodionov earned just his second tour-level win of the season, downing Gregoire Barrere 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(5). Rodionov saved two match points on serve at 4-5 in the third set before advancing in the tie-break. He will next meet second seed Sebastian Baez.
Qualifier Egor Gerasimov defeated Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles 7-6(5), 6-3, while Sho Shimabukuro beat Roberto Carballes Baena 6-2, 6-4.