ATP Tour: Borna Coric avenges last year's Winston-Salem loss to Sebastian Baez

Winston-Salem (USA), Aug 21
A year after his marathon semifinal loss, Borna Coric avenged that defeat at the Winston-Salem Open, the Croatian getting the better of the top seed and defending champion, Sebastian Baez with a 6-3, 6-4 victory. Coric seems to have used the learnings from that match one year ago and came back roaring at the same event.

"I learned from that match, I was watching that match last night," Coric said of last year's loss at the ATP 250.

"I was prepared for the match and also it was much better for me that we played today while it was sunny. Last year we played in the evening, which was actually much, much slower," Coric was quoted as saying by ATP Tour on its website.

The 27-year-old Croatian dropped just four points behind his first serve and held the advantage in lengthy baseline rallies to improve to 1-2 in his ATP head-to-head series with Baez. Just days after their three-hour 19-minute Winston-Salem meeting in 2023, Baez again defeated Coric in the US Open first round.

Into the Round of 16, the three-time tour-level titlist will next face 16th seed Rinky Hijikata.

Earlier, American lucky loser Zachary Svajda earned the highest-ranked win of his career when he upset World No. 29 Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 6-4. The 21-year-old Svajda is up to No. 101 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings as he aims for his Top 100 debut.

David Goffin defeated fifth-seeded Italian Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-4 while 10th-seed Lorenzo Sonego beat Dominic Stricker 6-4, 6-1.

In other Round of 32 matches played on Tuesday, American 11th seed Alex Michelsen defeated Hungarian Marton Fucsovic 7-6(3), 6-4, Belgiam's David Goffin stunned Italian fifth seed Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-4 while Zizou Bergs of Belgium advanced at the expense of sixth-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry, handing the Argentine 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.