Mikhail Kukushkin vs Stefanos Sakellaridis — Round of 32 — Almaty Open. Kukushkin won 7-6, 7-6.

Kazakh wild card Mikhail Kukushkin beat qualifier Stefanos Sakellaridis in two tiebreak sets to reach the Almaty Open round of 16. Kukushkin is 38 and ranked ATP No. 358. The betting market had made Sakellaridis a 73 percent favorite. The 22-year-old Greek came in at ATP No. 135, up from 280 at the start of the season. Neither player pulled away over 2 hours and 12 minutes. Each held nine of 12 service games, and each won 12 games. Sakellaridis went ahead first, breaking in game 5 of the opening set for a 3-2 lead. Kukushkin got that break back and won 79 percent of his first-serve points in the set. He then won the tiebreak, dropping four points. The second set had more service breaks. Kukushkin converted both of his break points in that set, while Sakellaridis took two of seven. The second tiebreak went the same way as the first, with Kukushkin giving up only three points. Sakellaridis saved two match points before it ended. Sakellaridis hit nine aces to Kukushkin's none and more winners, 28 to 23. He also made 44 unforced errors, 14 more than Kukushkin. Kukushkin won 57 percent of points behind his second serve against 46 percent for Sakellaridis, and he won eight of his nine trips to the net.