Sports

Finally Bernard Tomic a winner

Bernard Tomic is savouring his first win since January after advancing to the second round of a low-level Challenger event in France.

Australian tennis fallen star fought hard to overcome French wildcard Geoffrey Blancaneaux 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 at the Open du Pays dAix in Provence.

Australia's Bernard Tomic

Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

The victory was Tomics first since reaching the final round of Australian Open qualifying – and his first since returning to the sport after an ill-fated stint on the reality TV show Im a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.

The one-time world No.17 and former Wimbledon quarter-finalist has plummeted to 243rd in the world as he fights to save his career.

Tomic, 25, who earned $3500 for his breakthrough win, could conceivably face fellow Queenslander John Millman in the final of the claycourt event.

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Top-seeded Millman beat countryman and reigning French Open junior champion Alexei Popyrin 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 in his first-round match.

Tomic next faces another local wildcard, Johan Tatlot, while Millman plays American Stefan Kozloz or Frenchman Constant Lestienne.

In Madrid, Milos Raonic overcame third seed Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the third round at the Madrid Open and set up an all-Canadian clash with teenager Denis Shapovalov.

Shapovalov had earlier produced a relentless display of big-hitting to deny Frances Benoit Paire the perfect 29th birthday present with a 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4 victory.

Raonic edged a tight clash against an opponent he had only beaten once before, with Bulgarian Dimitrov struggling to build momentum ahead of the French Open later this month.

Briton Kyle Edmund beat Russias Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-0 to set up a second round clash with Novak Djokovic.

AAP, Reuters

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