(Tennis news) Dominik Koepfer saved 7 match points on his way to victory against Andy Murray in the opening round of Paris Masters 1000. Koepfer got into the main draw as a lucky loser as Jenson Brooksby had to withdraw due to an injury, Koepfer made full use of the rare opportunity as he beat the 2016 champion in a 3 hour match. Murray had it in him but could not finish off the final points as Koepfer kept saving himself with last minute heroics. Koepfer defeated Andy Murray 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(11-9).

Sebastian Korda made sure Aslan Karatsev’s chances of qualifying for the year end championships came to an end as he delivered an opening round defeat for the Russian. Korda took the opening set in his debut appearance in Paris as he was looking at a straight set until Karatsev saved two match points and won the second set. The final set saw both baseline players taking it to tie break as Sebastian called the shots at the end to take the match. Korda defeated Karatsev 6-2, 6-7(9), 7-6(7-5).

Cameron Norrie kept his chances of qualifying for the season finale alive as he quickly closed out his opening match against another left hander Federico Delbonis. Norrie only took an hour and ten minutes while conceding only three games. The pair had met in the qualifying rounds two years earlier in Paris where Norrie defeated Delbonis 6-2, 6-1.

Márton Fucsovics rode off a three set win over Fabio Fognini which saw Fabio saving a match point in the second set. Marton started with a dominating first set as Fabio committed unforced errors and in the second set Fabio came back in form to take the match to the third set. In the final set, Marton hit an unbelievable banana shot to take the first point in the fifth game, Fognini was close to victory but couldn’t make it to the next round as Fucsovics will take on Novak Djokovic in the next round. Fucsovics defeated Fognini 6-1, 7-6(6-8), 7-6(7-5).

In men’s doubles, Djokovic returned to court with a victory as he partnered with Filip Krajinović to beat Luke Saville and Alex de Minaur. Djokovic last played at the US Open final where he lost to Daniil Medvedev, Djokovic and Krajinović defeated Luke and Minaur 4-6, 6-4, 10-7. The pair will next face 6th seeds Filip Polášek and John Peers in the next round.

Also read: Alexander Zverev defeats Frances Tiafoe 7-5 6-4 in the Vienna Open final