In Rome, Italy, the qualification round for the ATP-1000 tournament is currently underway. Kazakhstani tennis player Mikhail Kukushkin competed in the first round match of the qualifying stage.
In a fierce battle, Mikhail Kukushkin (ATP No. 134) defeated Cristian Garin (ATP No. 100, Chile) with a score of 5:7, 7:6, 7:6. This marked the second time the opponents faced each other, with Kukushkin leading 2-0 in their head-to-head encounters.
The match lasted for over three hours (3:13). During this time, the Kazakhstani player served one ace, made no double faults, and converted four out of eight break points.
Next, Mikhail Kukushkin will compete against Diego Schwartzman (ATP No. 142, Argentina) for a spot in the main draw of the Masters in Rome. This will be the fourth meeting between the two players, with the Argentine leading 2-1 in their head-to-head record.
Earlier, Bublik and Shevchenko learned about their first opponents at the Masters in Rome.
