Barcelona Open: Bautista Agut edge closer to 400th career win after first-round victory

Roberto Bautista Agut beats Roman Safiullin 6-3, 7-6(8) on Monday at the clay-court ATP 500 for the 399th tour-level triumph of his career.

Bautista Agut saved a set point in the second-set tie-break before wrapping a one-hour, 59-minute first-round victory.

The spanish player and former World No.9’s reward for levelling his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Safiullin at 1-1 is a second-round meeting with seventh seed Karen Khachanov. The Spaniard,who turned 36 on Sunday, is chasing his a 12th ATP Tour crown this week.

Monday was a memorable day in Barcelona for Nick Hardt. The 23-year-old qualifier overcame #NextGenATP home favourite Martin Landaluce 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Pista Rafa Nadal to win his ATP Tour main-draw debut. Hardt became the first Dominican to win an ATP Tour match since Victor Estrella Burgos in Quito in 2018.

Brandon Nakashima and Harold Mayot also booked their second-round spot on Monday. Nakashima ousted 2023 semi-finalist Daniel Evans 7-6(5), 6-2 to set a meeting with second seed Andrey Rublev, while qualifier Mayot beat Pedro Cachin 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-3 to advance to face Cameron Norrie.

Despite Cachin’s loss, Facundo Diaz Acosta and Marco Trungelliti gave Argentine fans reason to cheer in Spain. Diaz Acosta beat home wild card Daniel Rincon 6-1, 6-4 and Trungelliti overcame Duje Ajdukovic 6-2, 7-6(3).

Matteo Arnaldi also advanced. The Italian World No. 40 was locked at 5-5 in the first set with Arthur Cazaux when the Frenchman was forced to retire after turning his ankle.