Korda Kick-Starts Metz Bid As Wawrinka Reaches Main Draw

Sebastian Korda has only just begun his 2022 indoor season at the Moselle Open in Metz, but already the American is coming across some familiar faces.

The World No. 49 held firm against his former #NextGenATP rival Hugo Gaston on Monday to secure a 6-3, 7-6(2) first-round victory at the ATP 250 tournament in France. It is Korda's first indoor event since he reached the final of the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan last November, when he squeezed past the Frenchman in five sets en route to championship match.

Through In Two ✌️@SebiKorda defeats Gaston 6-3 7-6 in an entertaining encounter in Metz@MoselleOpen pic.twitter.com/A2fErJnwX0

Korda was given a similarly stern test by Gaston in Metz on Monday. The The 22-year-old fended off two set points when trailing 5-6 in the second set as Gaston ramped up the pressure in front of his home fans, but after digging deep to hold serve Korda carried the momentum with him into the tie-break. He opened a 5/1 lead that proved unassailable as he sealed a one-hour, 37-minute victory on tournament debut.

Awaiting Korda in the second round is another player he beat in Milan 10 months ago, Lorenzo Musetti. Despite that defeat in his home country, Hamburg champion Musetti leads Korda 2-1 in their ATP Head2Head series.

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Also on Monday, Stan Wawrinka booked his spot in the main draw in Metz after completing a 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-0 second-round qualifying victory against Zsombor Piros.

The 16-time tour-level titlist Wawrinka found his rhythm after dropping the first-set tie-break against the World No. 160 Piros. The Swiss saved all four break points he faced and converted five from nine of his own opportunities to break serve to complete a one-hour, 55-minute win in north-eastern France.

Wawrinka is competing in Metz for the first time since 2015, when he reached the quarter-finals. The former World No. 3 is seeking to build some form after enduring a tough run of results since returning to the Tour in April following 13 months out with a foot injury. He will take on Joao Sousa in the first round of the main draw, with the winner to face a second-round showdown with top seed Daniil Medvedev.

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