OEIRAS, Portugal, April 29 (UPI) -- Sixth-seeded Benoit Paire, despite dropping serve three times, won in straight sets Monday in opening day action at the Portugal Open tennis tournament.
Paire defeated Igor Sijsling 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in a match that had a total of eight breaks. Paire was able to finish off five of his eight break chances.
After both players dropped serve twice in the first set, forcing the tiebreaker won by Paire, the second set turned on Paire winning more than half the points off Sijsling's serve and converting 3-of-6 break opportunities.
Denis Istomin lost just five points in five third-set games serving in claiming a 2-6, 7-6, 8-6), 6-4 decision over Evgeny Donskoy.
David Goffin edged past Pedro Sousa 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-4. Neither player won half the points when serving and both had nine breaks. Goffin, however, managed four breaks in the final set and advances.
Also Monday, Edouard Roger-Vasselin was up 6-1 when Gilles Muller retired.
