Hall, June 16:
American star Frances Tiafoe made a winning debut at the Terra Wortmann Open, overcoming the in-form Flavio Cobolli in style in an absorbing first-round clash in Halle, Germany, on Monday.
Ranked No. 26 in the ATP Rankings, Tiafoe prevailed 6-2, 7-6(4) against Cobolli, the Roland Garros finalist and World No. 10, to improve to 13-0 in opening rounds this season. With his 85-minute triumph against Cobolli, Tiafoe also registered his first Top-10 victory since 2024.
“Obviously, he’s a hell of a player and had a hell of a season,” Tiafoe told ATPTour.com in Halle on Monday. “But I knew he was coming out for his first match (this year) on grass, and you have to find your feet under you, and obviously he’s got to come down to reality after the final. That’s never easy, especially on a whole different surface.
“I tried to just come out there flying and make it super tough for him. Play really fast and make him feel uncomfortable. It was a good day. He’s going to be ready to go for Wimbledon. He’s a Wimbledon quarter-finalist, so he knows how to play on grass.”
Tiafoe broke in Cobolli’s opening two service games and later recovered from an early mini-break deficit to clinch the second-set tie-break and the match.
The 28-year-old won 81 per cent (34/42) of points behind his first serve and did not face a break point, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
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