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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga strikes 13 aces on Stuttgart Open debut

Posted June 10, 2019 7:00 am

The Associated Press

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga serves the ball to Mischa Zverev during their first round match at the ATP tennis tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Monday, June 10, 2019. (Silas Stein/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

STUTTGART, Germany (AP) - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga powered past 2017 semifinalist Mischa Zverev 6-3, 6-0 before rain brought an early end to play at the Stuttgart Open on Monday.

Tsonga struck 13 aces as he wrapped up his debut at the grass-court tournament in under an hour to set up a second-round meeting with the sixth-seeded Milos Raonic or Australian qualifier Alexei Popyrin.

Raonic, who lost last year's final to Roger Federer, is one of three seeded Canadians, alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov. Raonic is making his comeback after missing the clay-court season with a right knee injury.

Shapovalov was due to play Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff but their match was put back to Tuesday due to the rain.

Earlier, Miomir Kecmanovic rallied to beat German veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. The 19-year-old Serb will next play Shapovalov or Struff.

Among Tuesday's other scheduled matches, it's the fifth-seeded Gael Monfils vs. American Steve Johnson, Auger-Aliassime vs. Ernests Gulbis, and Matteo Berrettini vs. Nick Kyrgios.

The Stuttgart Open made the switch from clay to grass in 2015.

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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga celebrates after he wins the first round match against Mischa Zverev during the ATP tennis tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Monday, June 10, 2019. (Silas Stein/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Philipp Kohlschreiber serves the ball to Miomir Kecmanovic during their first round match at the ATP tennis tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Monday, June 10, 2019. (Silas Stein/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Miomir Kecmanovic returns the ball to Philipp Kohlschreiber during their first round match at the ATP tennis tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Monday, June 10, 2019. (Silas Stein/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Miomir Kecmanovic clenches his fist after scoring a point against Philipp Kohlschreiber during their first round match at the ATP tennis tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Monday, June 10, 2019. (Silas Stein/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

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