MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ivan Dodig of Croatia beat No. 8 seed Bernard Tomic of Australia 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (8) on Monday in the opening round of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships.
The unseeded Dodig survived two match points in a third-set tiebreaker, winning when Tomic netted an easy volley to end the nearly three-hour match.
The 19-year-old Tomic, Australia’s top-ranked player, lost for only the third time this season. His only other losses have been to third-ranked Roger Federer and No. 4 Andy Murray.
Among those advancing to the second round in the Memphis International, the accompanying women’s event, were No. 3 seed Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic, No. 4 seed Marina Erakovic of New Zealand and Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands.
Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden, the 2006 Memphis champion, also won her first-round match, a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Heather Watson of Great Britain.
