France's Humbert edges Querrey in Halle opener

Sam Querrey fell to Ugo Humbert of France in three
close sets today. 2017 photo by Paul Bauman

   Ugo Humbert of France nipped Sam Querrey of Las Vegas 4-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) in 2 hours, 26 minutes today in the first round of the Noventi Open, an ATP 500 tournament on grass in Halle, Germany. 

   The 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) Querrey, a 33-year-old San Francisco native, slugged 14 aces, and Humbert, a 22-year-old left-hander, had 12.

   Querrey reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 2017 and quarterfinals in 2016, stunning two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic in the third round, and 2019.

   ATP Challenger Tour — In the first round of doubles in the €88,520 ($107,340) Moneta Czech Open on red clay in Prostejov, Czech Republic, Alexander Erler and Tristan-Samuel Weissborn of Austria topped No. 4 seeds Max Schnur of New York and Sem Verbeek (University of the Pacific, 2013-16) of the Netherlands 6-4, 4-6 [10-5].

   ITF Women's Tour — In the opening round of doubles in the $100,000 Nottingham (England) Trophy, No. 4 seeds Monica Niculescu and Elena Gabriela Ruse of Romania routed Kristie Ahn, a Stanford graduate playing on her 29th birthday, and Lizette Cabrera of Australia 6-3, 6-0 in 52 minutes.

   In a first-round doubles match in the $25,000 Palmetto Pro Open on hardcourts in Sumter, S.C., 18-year-old identical twins Allura and Maribella Zamarripa of St. Helena in the Napa Valley edged U.S. wild cards Emma Davis and Amy Zhu 6-4, 4-6 [10-8].