Filip Pieczonka beat Carlos Sanchez Jover 7-5, 6-3 in Szczecin, converting three of his five break points while his opponent managed just one from ten. The margin came on return: Pieczonka won 33 receiver points to 21.
The opening set turned late, as Pieczonka broke at 4-5, was broken straight back at 5-5, then broke again at 5-6 to take it 7-5. In the second he broke immediately at 0-1 and again at 2-5; Sanchez Jover retrieved one at 3-5, but Pieczonka broke once more at 3-6 to close it out.
Sanchez Jover was the cleaner server on paper - 75% first serves to 60%, no double faults to Pieczonka's three, and 39 service points won to 37 - yet it counted for little. Pieczonka's second serve did the damage: 14 of 23 points won behind it, and 11 of 18 taken off his opponent's.