First match and first victory in Shanghai for Bonzi: the Frenchman escapes Opelka's clutches

Benjamin Bonzi delivered an impressive performance at the Shanghai Masters 1000 by defeating the always formidable Reilly Opelka.

Following the eliminations of French compatriots Terence Atmane and Ugo Blanchet on Thursday, Benjamin Bonzi took to the court for the first round of the Shanghai Masters 1000 against Reilly Opelka.

The two players hadn't faced each other since 2018 in the second round of the Bordeaux Challenger. Back then, the American had emerged victorious on clay (6-4, 6-4).

Seven years later, a spot in the second round of a Masters 1000 was at stake between the two players. Recently climbed to 64th in the rankings, Opelka started poorly, getting broken in his very first service game. Bonzi then pulled away to lead 3-0.

But the American didn't give up and managed to close the gap. Ultimately, the two players were decided in a tie-break. Bonzi dominated it completely, taking the advantage on the scoreboard (7 points to 2).

In the second set, Opelka led the race until the middle of the set, where Bonzi converted one of his break points to take the lead. This time, the Frenchman held strong and secured the win in two sets (7-6, 6-4 in 1 hour 34 minutes).

In his first main draw appearance at the Shanghai Masters 1000, the world number 48 advances to the second round, where he will face Gabriel Diallo for a spot in the round of 16.