Dominic Stricker loses in the second round of the ATP 250 tournament in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The player from Bern is defeated by the Italian Lorenzo Sonego, the world number 58, 4:6, 1:6.
The defeat was not as clear-cut in practice as it was on paper. The Swiss player earned eight break points, the Italian only four. While Stricker never managed to break service, Sonego made the most of three opportunities. The lack of match practice after overcoming problems with his back was noticeable in these phases of the match.
Next up for Stricker is the US Open, where he will start in the main draw thanks to the protected ranking. The left-hander, ranked number 182 in the world, has to defend last year's round of 16 appearance in New York along with 200 ATP points.
