Soonwoo Kwon earned his first tour-level win on clay Monday when he battled past #NextGenATP Dane Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(4) after two hours and 23 minutes to reach the second round of the AnyTech365 Andalucia Open.
The South Korean’s last match was a tough third-set tie-break loss lasting three hours and 18 minutes against Ilya Ivashka at the Miami Open presented by Itau. This time, the 23-year-old found a way to win, despite twice trailing by a break in the third set.
Rune was trying to continue his momentum after claiming his first two tour-level victories in Santiago as a qualifier. The teen is currently junior World No. 1.
In other action, Ricardas Berankis outlasted former Top 10 star Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-5 after two hours and 50 minutes. The Lithuanian has not lost a first-round match all season (4-0).
Norbert Gombos, who made the third round at both Roland Garros and the Rolex Paris Masters last year, eliminated Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-3. The Slovakian will next play eighth seed Federico Delbonis, who dispatched Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena 7-5, 6-1.