Mpetshi Perricard and Sonego Make Winning Starts, while Prizmic Shines in Chengdu
Second seed Darderi, fourth seed Nakashima, Shang and Zhou headline tomorrow’s second-round singles matches as doubles main draw also gets underway
In today’s opening Center Court match at the Chengdu Open, French sixth seed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard recovered from a slow start to overturn a one-set deficit and claim a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Austria’s Filip Misolic in one hour and 44 minutes.
Despite dropping his serve once in the eighth game of the first set, the 6-foot-eight 22-year-old fired nine aces and converted three of 13 break opportunities over the course of the match to progress into the second round here for the second consecutive year.
“It was a good performance. I played well in the second and third sets, so I’m very happy with it. I had to adjust a few things, and that’s what I did. The court here is pretty fast and the bounce is high, which suits my serve and allows me to play aggressively, so I like the conditions,” said the world No.36.
It was a similar story for eighth seed Lorenzo Sonego on Court 1, who lost his serve in the seventh game of the first set against Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo to go one set down. However, the world No. 44 rallied to convert four of the next eight break opportunities he created, completing a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win in two hours and 10 minutes. Sonego will take to court again tomorrow against American Marcos Giron for his second-round match, having defeated the American in their only previous Tour-level meeting at Metz in 2023.
Prizmic Shines
Croatian NextGen contender Dino Prizmic continued his strong season with a 6-4, 6-3 victory in one hour and 22 minutes over world No.70 Terence Atmane. The 20-year-old, ranked No.121, did not face a single break point and converted three of six opportunities to reach the second round of an ATP 250 event for the second time this season.
Kazakh number two, 24-year-old Alexander Shevchenko, also advanced after Gael Monfils retired at the start of the third set in tonight’s closing Centre Court match, with the score at 6-7(3), 6-3, 1-0 after one hour and 48 minutes.
In a remarkable turn of events, all four qualifiers moved into the second round of the Chengdu Open after recording wins today. Former world No.16 Nikoloz Basilashvili defeated Lucky Loser Billy Harris 7-6(5), 6-3 in one hour and 32 minutes, with Harris stepping in after seventh seed Sebastian Baez pulled out of the tournament due to illness.
Japan’s Taro Daniel made the Chengdu Open second round for the third consecutive year after defeating Hong Kong wild card Coleman Wong 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 21 minutes, snapping a seven-match Tour-level losing streak that dated back to a first-round win at the 2024 Shanghai Masters.
The remaining qualifiers to notch upset victories were American Mackenzie McDonald, who defeated Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in two hours, and Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, who ousted Australian Jordan Thompson 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 19 minutes.
Tomorrow, 12 matches are scheduled across the Sichuan International Tennis Center, including four singles second-round contests and all first-round doubles matches.
Two of the top four singles seeds will commence their campaigns: Italy’s second seed Luciano Darderi takes on qualifier Tabilo, while American fourth seed Brandon Nakashima faces defending champion Shang Juncheng.
Darderi has stamped himself as one of 2025’s most exciting breakout players, capturing three ATP 250 titles on clay, including back-to-back wins in Bastad and Umag. Arriving in Chengdu at a career-best ranking of No.30, the 23-year-old will aim to replicate his clay-court form on hard courts against former world No.19 Tabilo, with the pair having split their previous two ATP Tour encounters.
Meanwhile, former ATP Next Gen Finals winner Nakashima has enjoyed a consistent season, with deep runs at Acapulco, Indian Wells, Miami, Houston, and Madrid earlier in the year propelling him to a career-high No.29 in May. The 24-year-old will meet Shang for the first time on Tour tomorrow and will have his work cut out to end the resurgent Shang’s ongoing six-match unbeaten streak on the Chengdu Open Center Court.
Wild card Zhou Yi, fresh off a historic career-best win over Cameron Norrie earlier in the week, will aim to upset the odds again when he faces Christopher O’Connell tomorrow. The Australian will be looking to make his second quarterfinal of the season, having reached the last eight in Bucharest after defeating Nicolás Jarry.
In the pick of the doubles matches, French defending champions Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul will begin their bid for a third consecutive Chengdu Open crown against the Dutch-American pairing Vasil Kirkov and Bart Stevens. The second seeds have been in strong form this season, capturing their fifth title as a pair on the clay courts of Geneva in May and reaching the quarterfinals of the US Open last month.
Ticket sales for the 2025 Chengdu Open have begun, with prices ranging from RMB 30 for qualifying rounds to RMB 600 for the finals. Tickets will be available via the Damai App as well as the WeChat and Alipay Mini Programs.
The tournament is organised by the Chinese Tennis Association and Chengdu Municipal Government, co-organised by the Chengdu Sports Bureau, Shuangliu District Government, the Chengdu Culture and Tourism Group, promoted by IMG and the Sichuan Investment International Tennis Centre Development Co., Ltd, and operated by the Chengdu Sports Events Industry Development Co., Ltd.
The Chengdu Open is also very proud to have the support of our distinguished partners, including Chengdu Rural Commercial Bank, CSWADI Photon Technology Co., People’s Insurance Company of China, Bank of Chengdu, Li-Ning, the ATP Tour’s Premier Partner Emirates, Yonex, Jingdong Logistics, Gran Melia Chengdu, Lynk & Co, Damai, Yi-Mian, COFCO Coca-Cola, Chengdu Radio and Television, Youku Sports, Tencent Sports, Migu and Bilibili.
