World no. 374 Tiago Torres defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 6-2 in his ATP Tour debut at the Estoril Open on Monday. The Portuguese wildcard overcame an early deficit to secure the victory in 70 minutes before a home crowd.
Torres, who received a last-minute wildcard into the main draw, trailed 1-4 in the first set before winning 11 of the final 13 games. He won 74 percent of first-serve points and improved his ranking to a career-high no. 374.
The 24-year-old, who played four years of college tennis at the University of Texas at San Antonio, described the win as a whirlwind of emotions. “It’s incredible. I never played in front of so many people before,” Torres said.
Torres faces third seed Alejandro Tabilo in the second round on Wednesday. The Estoril Open features a record six Portuguese players this year.
