After emerging victorious in the Futures championship in Chennai during his inaugural professional tournament in India, Bernard Tomic remained at the same location and participated in the Challenger 100 Chennai Open. Tomic encountered the Polish youngster Olaf Pieczkowski and emerged triumphant with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 after a duration of two hours and nine minutes, commencing his campaign on a winning note.
Tomic delivered nine aces while succumbing to a loss of serve on three occasions out of the six opportunities presented by his opponent. Pieczkowski put up a strong fight, saving six out of eight break points and squandering a 5-3 advantage in the final set before succumbing in the tie break.
In the opening game of the encounter, Tomic squandered a 40-15 lead and lost his serve due to a forced error. The Pole clinched the second game with a service winner, thereby establishing a lead and settling into a steady rhythm. Bernard managed to deny two break points in the third game and concluded it with an ace, thus registering his first point on the scoreboard.
Pieczkowski held his serve effortlessly in the fourth game, securing a 3-1 lead before facing three break points in the sixth game. The Polish player successfully defended against them and held his serve with a service winner, extending his advantage to 4-2. Tomic committed a forehand error in the seventh game, resulting in a loss of serve and a deficit of 5-2.
Olaf served for the first set in the eighth game, and Bernard displayed no interest in returning, allowing his opponent to hold his serve without conceding a single point and wrap up the set in a span of 32 minutes. The Australian player elevated his performance in the second set, dropping only four points on his initial serve and maintaining pressure on the other side.
Tomic concluded the fifth game with a forehand winner down the line and forced an error from his rival two games later, leading to a score of 4-3. Pieczkowski held his serve comfortably in the eighth game and served to stay in the set at 4-5.
The teenager committed a backhand error and presented his opponent with three break points. Olaf made a routine forehand error on the first break point, resulting in a break of serve without conceding a single point and enabling Bernard to push for a decider. The Pole missed a break point in the first game of the final set and subsequently committed a double fault at 1-2, granting the Australian player two break points.
The young gun managed to fend off the break points and held his serve, intensifying the drama. Pieczkowski concluded the sixth game without conceding a single point and exerted significant pressure on Tomic’s serve in the following game. Olaf broke Bernard’s serve at 15 with a forehand winner down the line, securing the eighth game with a score of 5-3.
Tomic served to remain in the match in the ninth game and delivered a service winner, ensuring a hold without conceding a single point. Bernard seized another opportunity to extend the battle and capitalized on it effectively.
The Pole denied the initial break point in the tenth game after an enthralling rally and a forehand winner down the line. However, the Australian player converted the second break point with a forced error, equalizing the score at 5-5 and prolonging his chances of victory.
Both players served admirably in the eleventh and twelfth games, leading to a decisive tie break. Olaf committed a double fault in the third point and subsequently made a routine forehand error, falling behind with a score of 3-1. Tomic secured another mini-break in the sixth point and created four match points by delivering a forehand winner crosscourt at 5-2.
The Australian player capitalized on the first match point with a powerful forehand, overcoming a challenging obstacle and advancing to the second round.