Eight seed Borna Coric of Croatia survived anxious moments before getting the better of a fighting Spaniard Marcel's Granollers 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 in a gruelling first round match of the ATP Chennai Open tennis tournament in Chennai on Monday.
Qualifier Ante Pavic of Crotia scripted the biggest upset on day one of the main draw of the tournament by displaying tremendous variations of pace and game plan to make it to the the second round with a 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1) win over higher ranked Spaniard Nicolas Almagro.
In an outside court action, John Millman of Australia, ranked 90, put paid to the aspirations of Russian Evgeny Donskoy (ranked 88) with superb exhibition of tennis with a 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (6) win in 158 minutes.
In the third centre court match, 19-year-old Coric lived up to the expectations with superb display of solid serves.
Granollers lost the first set due to too many unforced errors but stepped up his game in the second.
Granollers was looking to claim the first set as Coric put away three easy volleys and most of his forehands were missing the lines. However, Coric displayed his abilities to adjust himself with varying pace and managed to win the first set on tie break.
Granollers made amends and played tightly to come up with an early break and then went to hold his serve to win the second set.
The decider was fought fiercely by the rivals but Coric held on to close the rallies by rushing to the net for deft placements and led 3-1.
Granollers, who was broken in the second game, managed to win the vital fifth but the aggressive Coric had the last laugh in winning the set at 6-4 and the match.
