Defending champion Mannarino escapes against Safiullin at Almaty Open as Shevchenko beats ‘legend’

Ravi Ubha

Adrian Mannarino remains on course to win back-to-back titles in Kazakhstan — barely. 

Kicking off centre court action Tuesday at the Almaty Open, the 36-year-old rallied past Roman Safiullin 5-7 7-6 (4) 6-3 to reach the second round.

Safiullin held the advantage when he served for the match at 5-3 in the second set but the attacking baseliner — ranked two spots lower than Mannarino at 58 — got broken for the first time.

His only double fault of the set at 15-all exhibited his tension.  Mannarino duly took advantage of his second chance and stormed to a 5-1 lead in the decider at the Almaty Arena.

«I was down and about to lose the match,» conceded the crafty left-hander, now 3-0 against Safiullin. «I had a bit of luck and I came back. That was really close.»

He overcame knee pain to collect a 13th win of the season.

«I’m getting old,» he chuckled.

Those 13 wins have been coupled with 27 losses, an indication of how difficult the season has been for the Frenchman.

But he is virtually an automatic to tally victories in Kazakhstan.

He reached the final in the lesser altitude of Astana in 2020, the quarterfinals in 2022 and beat Sebastian Korda in last year’s finale. His lone ATP doubles final came in Astana in 2022, too.

«This is a tournament that I really like,» he said. «I always played well in Kazakhstan and I’m always happy to be back.»

Top quality between Shevchenko, Kukushkin

The night session contest between home pair Mikhail Kukushkin and Alexander Shevchenko at the Almaty Arena didn’t disappoint.

Shevchenko triumphed 7-6 (5) 7-6 (4) a month after his 36-year-old foe won in Hangzhou.

The one hour, 14 minute first set played a crucial role.

An epic ninth game saw Shevchenko break after nine deuces with a feathered drop shot. The world No. 61 immediately dropped serve, though, and when Kukushkin saved two set points at 4-5 and hung on again for 6-6, it seemed as if Kazakhstan’s longtime Davis Cup stalwart would steal the set.

A Kukushkin forehand miscue at 3-2 in the tiebreak with Shevchenko stranded proved to be the final important twist of the set.

He broke early in the second yet was broken to love as he attempted to close out the match at 5-4. Unlike Safiullin, Shevchenko recovered in the second-set tiebreak. 

«I think we both played at a really high level,» said Shevchenko. «Mikhail is really a legend of the sport. He’s getting a little bit (up there) on age but the way he plays, moves and thinks on court is absolutely incredible.

«I went full today, he went full and I got a bit lucky today.»

Another home player, Beibit Zhukayev, earned a second career ATP win by dispatching Lebanese qualifier Benjamin Hassan 6-4 6-1 in a battle of players ranked outside the Top 200.

Hassan, who overcame 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Chris Eubanks at the Olympics in July, was deprived of a maiden ATP win.

The only break points of the first set came in the final game, when Hassan nearly escaped from 0-40.

But on a fourth set point, he couldn’t lob Zhukayev despite having ample time and the 24-year-old comfortably put away a smash to the delight of the home faithful.

Zhukayev used to the conditions

The Almaty resident hit eight aces and didn’t face a break point.

«Almaty is my home, I live and train here,» said Zhukayev. «I think that's why I didn't need to waste time adapting, because I'm used to the altitude and the local conditions. I feel very comfortable. Plus my home courts give me fighting spirit and confidence.

«And, of course, the support of my home fans helped me a lot.»

On Court 1, Otto Virtanen beat the oldest man in the draw, 37-year-old Fabio Fognini, 6-3 7-6 (4).

The Finn has won Grand Slam and Davis Cup matches but beating the former No. 9 marked a first main draw victory at an ATP tournament.

His fellow big server Gabriel Diallo also dominated behind his first serve in a 7-6 (5) 6-2 win over Australia’s Chris O’Connell.

Virtanen and Diallo are pushing for Top 100 spots.

A veteran who has been well inside the Top 100 like Kukushkin, qualifier Dan Evans, downed Taro Daniel 6-2 7-6 (4) to set a clash with top seed Frances Tiafoe of the US.

Evans and Tiafoe will meet for a 10th time — all on hard courts — with the British 34-year-old leading 5-4.

Former Australian Open semifinalist Aslan Karatsev — who sustained a knee injury at the start of 2024 — hasn’t lost a set in qualifying or main draw play this week.

He delivered 13 aces, saved the lone break point he faced and won 81% of his first-serve points in beating sixth-seed and Hangzhou finalist Zhang Zhizhen 6-4 7-6 (2).

Karatsev plays Shevchenko on Wednesday.