The BOSS Open first round in Stuttgart delivered plenty of drama on the German grass. The standout performance belonged to Nick Kyrgios, who returned to singles competition five months after his last match.
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The Australian dispatched eighth seed Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-4 in just 1 hour and 9 minutes. Kyrgios fired 8 aces, landed 84% of his first serves and did not face a single break point throughout the match. A clinical comeback on his best surface, sending a clear warning to the rest of the draw.
Frances Tiafoe, the sixth seed, needed considerably more effort to advance. The American ground out a 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 victory in a tightly contested three-setter.
Another highlight came from Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who won a thrilling opening match 7-5, 6-7(4), 7-6(4). The big-serving Frenchman once again proved that grass is his natural habitat, where his attacking game thrives.
German hopes were kept alive as Jan-Lennard Struff won 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3 in front of the home crowd, while Yannick Hanfmann advanced through two tiebreaks, 7-6(5), 7-6(4). Mattia Bellucci also reached the second round with a 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-1 victory.
The second round promises compelling matchups. Top seed and defending champion Ben Shelton opens against young Spaniard Martin Landaluce. Second seed Taylor Fritz faces Bellucci, while fourth seed Jiri Lehecka takes on James Duckworth. Stuttgart's grass courts have more to offer.
