Heartbreak for home favorite Kukushkin on Day 1 of Astana Open

Ravi Ubha

How close was home favorite Mikhail Kukushkin to winning his first match at the Astana Open in three years?

The 35-year-old wildcard was one point away, in fact. That close.

Kukushkin was also deprived of a first ATP win since March 2022 when Nuno Borges rallied for a 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-4 win in two hours, 50 minutes to conclude the opening day of main draw play on Wednesday.

Borges saved the match point in the second set tiebreak, landing a first serve before Kukushkin sent his backhand return wide.

The Portuguese later thumped a forehand return off a Kukushkin second serve to level the affair at a set apiece.

It capped what was a high quality tiebreak that featured a lungbusting rally that Kukushkin won for 2-0.

Kukushkin — the highest-ranked player for years from Kazakhstan — also led the tiebreak at a more advanced stage, 4-2.

Prior to the tiebreak, he led 4-2 in the second set, too.

Kukushkin was bound to be reeling starting the third and duly dropped serve to start the final frame.

He wouldn’t recover despite clinging on to the rest of his service games — and support from the fans — and the 86th-ranked Borges snapped a six-match losing streak at ATP events.

«It was a very difficult match, very physical from the start,» said Borges. «I knew it was going to be very difficult.

«I know his ranking doesn’t show the level he is at because maybe he hasn’t played so much. But I know here he is going to make an extra push, to play his best at home. Down a set and a break, I really had to push everything to try to get this one.»

Shevchenko ends losing streak

In the previous tussle on center court, Alexander Shevchenko ended his own four-match losing streak in ATP main draws by defeating Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-3.

Both players took turns showing frustration — with the Dutchman’s racket bearing the brunt at the end of the first set after he got back on serve from being 5-2 down.

Van de Zandschulp — whose foot injury has contributed to the world No. 68 winning just two ATP matches since the end of April — broke at the start of the second set only to be broken back immediately.

Shevchenko ended up winning 12 of the final 16 points, a run that included the key break of serve at 4-3.

«It feels amazing, especially to win back on the ATP Tour, and especially here in Astana, it feels like home,» said the world No. 85, who is newly engaged to women’s pro Anastasia Potapova.

«Botic is an amazing player. In the first set there were some key moments. Normally I am an aggressive player but I had to defend like hell against him and I did it well.

«The plan for the tournament is to go as far as possible. I enjoy playing here so much,» added the 22-year-old Shevchenko, bidding for a maiden ATP quarterfinal a year after successfully qualifying for Astana.

The tournament’s opening main draw match ended quicker than expected, as seventh-seed Laslo Djere retired against compatriot Hamad Medjedovic trailing 6-3, 2-1.

Still, it goes down as the fast rising wildcard’s best ever win by ranking.

Djere — the world No. 37 who stretched fellow Serb Novak Djokovic to five sets at the US Open — entered the court with strapping to the back of his neck and upper back.

Medjedovic used his big serve to good effect, however, striking five aces while also sprinkling in drop shots — including three in one game in the first set.

Epic in qualifying

The day’s longest affair came in qualifying.

In a tussle between two Japanese players, Sho Shimabukuro edged Taro Daniel 6-3, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (5) in three hours, 33 minutes.

Shimabukuro led by a set and 5-2 and even held a match point in the second set.

Daniel then rallied from 3-0 down in the decider to get to 3-3, although Shimabukuro saved five break points in that seventh game and fended off a match point in the deciding tiebreak.

He will need to recover quickly as the world No. 150 plays Roberto Carballes Baena on Thursday.