Nation's top player stuns France's Botti in Futures Tournament

Futures looks bright: Do Minh Quan plays a shot against Kevin Botti in the first round of the ITF Futures Tournament. Quan won 6-4, 6-4. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Truc

HCM CITY — Viet Nam's No 1 tennis player Do Minh Quan stunned Frenchman Kevin Botti yesterday in the first round of the men's singles event at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Futures Tournament.

In the match played at the Tanimex Tennis Club in Tan Phu District, Quan, who is playing in the main draw through a wild card, beat Botti 6-4,6-4 to set up a last-16 match against Rohan Gajjar of India.

In the first set, Quan won two breaks in the first and fifth games to lead 5-1 but Botti came back strongly and broke the eight game to make it 4-5. Serving well, Quan got the tenth game to secure the set at 6-4.

The HCM City-born lost some strength in the second set and the game became more balanced. At 4-4, he began attacking the net more, drawing errors from Botti. Quan was rewarded with a break in the ninth game and won his service game to clinch the match.

"Before the match, I thought it would be a very tough game but when the game went on I felt that Botti was not that good, and I gained in confidence while Botti did not seem to be in good form," Quan said.

The win gives Quan one point and a place in the ATP rankings for the first time.

Quan is the only Vietnamese player to reach this stage in the tournament after two Vietnamese representatives, young hopeful Nguyen Hoang Thien and veteran Le Quoc Khanh, lost.

While Khanh lost to Japanese top seed Takeuchi Kento, Thien was defeated by Australian D Propoggia. — VNS