Sebastian Baez Advances to Second Round on Busy Day in Bucharest

Baez Shines as Molcan & Sakellaridis Celebrate Dual Victories on Thrilling Day in Bucharest

Seeds Navone, Van de Zandschulp advance at the ATP 250

March 31, 2026

With the rains finally giving way, Sebastian Baez was quick to make his mark at the Tiriac Open presented by UniCredit Bank.

After a day of rain-induced delays, the Argentine superstar showcased his skills during a packed Tuesday schedule at the clay-court ATP 250. The fifth seed, who was a finalist here last year, cruised past Vilius Gaubas with a decisive score of 6-3, 6-1 in just 80 minutes.

Impressive performance by Baez! 🫡

Last year’s finalist kicks off his campaign with a commanding 6-1, 6-3 win over Gaubas. #TiriacOpen2026 pic.twitter.com/NSq6PvwnUi

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 31, 2026

“It feels wonderful to be back here, on a court that holds many cherished memories for me—some not so much,” Baez said. “I love playing in front of this crowd, and I’m thrilled with my performance today. It was our first encounter, but I recognize his potential as a player and wish him all the best. Now, on to the next round!”

Baez successfully saved all five break points he faced in this debut clash against the talented 21-year-old Lithuanian. Ranked No. 50 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Baez will next encounter Frenchman Titouan Droguet, who triumphed over former Top 10 star Roberto Bautista Agut with a scoreline of 6-1, 1-6, 6-1.

Earlier, the match was delayed after an intense two-hour and 41-minute battle between Damir Dzumhur and Filip Cristian Jianu on Central Court, where Jianu, holding a wild card and ranked No. 246, nearly pulled off a spectacular comeback. Despite battling cramps, he fought back from 0-3 to serve for the match at 6-5, but ultimately, Dzumhur claimed the victory, winning 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4) to set up a second-round clash with fourth seed Nuno Borges.

In another highlight, Alex Molcan and Stefanos Sakellaridis both savored remarkable victories on Tuesday, completing rain-delayed matches and advancing in the main draw.

Molcan, who was leading Jay Clarke 4-1 overnight, saved a match point before sealing a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(4) qualification victory. The former Top 50 player then took to the court again, defeating Matteo Arnaldi 6-3, 6-1 in his first-round match. Making his Bucharest debut, Molcan is set to face top seed Gabriel Diallo next.

Sakellaridis, holding a 5-2 advantage overnight in his final qualifying match against Dimitar Kuzmanov, emerged victorious with a score of 6-3, 7-6(6). He later eased past Jan Choinski to secure a spot in the second round. This win marked the Greek player’s first tour-level victory outside of Davis Cup since his memorable upset over Zizou Bergs as an 803-ranked 18-year-old at the 2023 United Cup.

Next up for Sakellaridis is third seed Fabian Marozsan, while other prominent winners from the day included seventh seed Mariano Navone, eighth seed Botic van de Zandschulp, and Alexander Shevchenko, who all advanced in the first round. Navone overcame Christopher O’Connell 6-4, 7-6(8), Van de Zandschulp defeated Francesco Maestrelli 6-3, 6-2, and Shevchenko triumphed against wild card Radu David Turcanu 6-2, 6-4.