Beaten in the first round last week at Gstaad, Benjamin Bonzi did not do better this Monday at Umag. The Frenchman was dominated in two sets by the Australian Alexei Popyrin.
Benjamin Bonzi can’t do it anymore. Author of an interesting start to the season (finalist in Marseille and Pune), the Frenchman has now been out for a few weeks. Touched in the left wrist in Monte-Carlo at the beginning of April, the current 107th in the world in the ATP ranking has had a string of setbacks in recent times, such as in Stuttgart, Halle and Wimbledon.
Back on clay recently, the native of Nîmes is still having so much trouble getting back on track this season. Indeed, after being released in the 1st round in Gstaad (Switzerland) last week, the person concerned also suffered defeat on Monday for his entry into the running.
In Umag (Croatia), the Frenchman this time was no match for Alexei Popyrin, winner in two sets (6-4, 7-5) and 1h57 of play. On the ocher surface, the Gardois initially matched the Australian and then failed to go the distance.
Bonzi in search of rebound
It was at 4-4 that the latter made the difference in this first set by making the first break of the game, before concluding on his service on his third set point. Behind, if Popyrin took Bonzi’s service again, at 1-1, and had four chances to win this match, at 5-3, the Frenchman did not give up and held on.
But, after saving four match points and regaining ground by equalizing at 5-5, the 107th in the world cracked again and once again lost his face-off. At 6-4, 6-5, the Australian did not miss this time and validated his ticket for the 2nd round at Umag, where he will face the Austrian Sebastian Ofner (52nd in the world).
Weighed down by seven defeats in a row, Bonzi will try to recover as the North American tour comes its way.
