04.06.2018 18:25:06 | Michail Kukushkin, the seventh seeded player at MONETA Czech Open, was first to successfully enter the main event after defeating Hoang of France in two sets. The Kazakh won UniCredit Czech Open in 2016 where he beat Fucsovics of Hungary 6:1, 6:2 in the final. This year, he has won the Challenger in Irving, USA and played the quarter final in Lyon where he lost to Simon of France. What are the odds he would repeat the success from 2016? “Well, you have to win five matches and I’ve only won one so far,“ he said after the match. Kukushkin’s journey to the second victory goes through Oliva of Argentina and Djere of Serbia. Zdeněk Kolář also advanced to the second round after defeating Jan Choinski of Germany, even though he was still losing 2:4 in the third set and won four games in a row! Who will Kolář meet on his journey to the quarterfinals? He will have to beat the winner of the match Gaio – Bašič.
The first seeded couple Jebavý / Vasilevski (Belarus) opened the doubles programme on the Centre Court. They surprisingly lost to Albot (Moldova)/ Bašič (Bosnia). Roman Jebavý did not have a good time at MONETA Czech Open. He was ousted in the first round both in doubles and singles; he lost to Liška of Slovakia in three sets in the opening qualification match.
