Almaty Open: Shevchenko edges past Kukushkin to move into second round

Alexander Shevchenko defeated qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) to move into the second round of the Almaty Open at Almaty Arena.

Shevchenko, ranked No 61, will play Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev next.

Almaty ATP 250, other first-round results (Almaty Arena, hard, USD 1.036.700, most recent results first):

• Timofey Skatov vs. Tomas Machac
• James Duckworth vs. Aleksandar Vukic
• Aslan Karatsev beat Zhizhen Zhang (6): 6-4, 7-6 (2)
• Daniel Evans (Q) beat Taro Daniel: 6-2, 7-6 (4)
• Beibit Zhukayev (WC) beat Benjamin Hassan (Q): 6-4, 6-1
• Otto Virtanen beat Fabio Fognini: 6-3, 7-6 (4)
• Gabriel Diallo beat Christopher O’Connell: 7-6 (5), 6-2
• Adrian Mannarino (8) beat Roman Safiullin: 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-3
• Borna Coric beat Fabian Marozsan (7): 6-4, 7-6 (4)
• Maximilian Marterer beat Damir Dzumhur: 7-5, 6-4
• Justin Engel (WC) beat Chak Lam Coleman Wong: 7-5, 6-4