De Minaur wins Queen's opener against Diallo as Mensik suffers early defeat

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-minaur-alex/EZgZ9Xfh/"]De Minaur[/a] slipped down an ‌early break of service but hit his ‌stride for a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/de-minaur-a-EZgZ9Xfh/diallo-g-2TgBLj6G/?mid=pdurxZbk"]7-6(8), 6-3[/a] victory and set up ‌a clash with another Canadian in the shape ‌of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shapovalov-denis/zXddgn9o/"]Denis Shapovalov[/a].[/p][p]Victory snapped a losing run at Queen's for the world number six who had fallen ‌at the first hurdle for the ⁠last two years.[/p][p][b]"That was ‌a big challenge, it wasn't the most pretty match ​but today was all about surviving,"[/b] De Minaur, who reached the final on grass ​in 's-Hertogenbosch last week, said on court.[/p][p][b]"This is my favourite part of the year and I love ⁠being in London. ​Hopefully I can win a lot of tennis matches this grass-court swing."[/b][/p][embed guid="f6b85b28-b5d7-4db2-9c34-11fea662915f" url="https://x.com/QueensTennis/status/2066926960656232640" social-type="twitter" /][p]De Minaur saved two set points in the opening-set tiebreaker and then broke serve ‌in a 15-minute fourth game of the second set to seize control.[/p][p]Third seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mensik-jakub/UFj257G8/"]Jakub Mensik[/a]'s Wimbledon preparations got off to a disappointing start though as the big-serving 20-year-old was out-foxed by wily French left hander [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mannarino-adrian/fLOdtByM/"]Adrian Mannarino[/a], losing a marathon clash [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/mannarino-a-fLOdtByM/mensik-j-UFj257G8/?mid=t0j4qH6F"]5-7, 7-6(3), 7-6(5)[/a].[/p][p][b]The 37-year-old Mannarino led 5-2 in the opening set only to lose ‌it but gradually wore down the French Open ​semi-finalist with his unique groundstrokes frustrating the Czech.[/b][/p][p]He ‌will face British wildcard [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fery-arthur/SKxbA6KA/"]Arthur Fery[/a] next.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moutet-corentin/bX0EWcV9/"]Corentin Moutet[/a] ended a dismal run of five successive first-round defeats as he tamed fellow Frenchman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mpetshi-perricard-giovanni/ITe9m2F8/"]Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/moutet-c-bX0EWcV9/mpetshi-perricard-g-ITe9m2F8/?mid=IToCHaom"]6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(5)[/a] in a ⁠match that was ⁠suspended on Monday ‌because of fading light.[/p]