Lajal and Misolic battle through to reach the main draw
Facing top-seeded qualifier Ethan Quinn, the 21-year-old American, Lajal looked in trouble early on after dropping the opening set 3–6. But the Estonian found his rhythm midway through the second, using his speed and shot variety to turn the momentum. After breaking to take the second set 6–4, he carried that confidence into the decider, outlasting Quinn in another tight 6–4 set to seal a memorable 3–6, 6–4, 6–4 victory.
In the second match of the day, Filip Misolic endured a rollercoaster battle against Norway’s Viktor Durasovic. The Austrian seemed in complete control at 5–1 up in the third set, but Durasovic refused to go quietly, clawing his way back to force a tense tie-break. It was heartbreak for Durasovic, who showed incredible resilience but fell just short of completing the comeback. In the end, Misolic held his nerve, sealing the win and punching his ticket back into the main draw, his second appearance in Stockholm. Back in 2023, Misolic made it to the second round of the main draw before losing to the eventual champion, the Frenchman Gaël Monfils.
Zeppieri advances, Fery prevails in the all-British clash
On Court 1, Italy’s Giulio Zeppieri made quick work of Germany’s Patrick Zahraj, cruising to a 6–1, 6–4 victory. Zeppieri’s left-handed forehand dictated play throughout, keeping Zahraj on the back foot and securing the Italian a smooth passage into the main draw. The day concluded with an all-British encounter between Arthur Fery and Jay Clarke, for their first-ever meeting on tour. Early drama included a nosebleed delay and an early exchange of breaks between the two. Fery took the better of his opponent in the first set, winning it 6–2. In the first game of the second set, Clarke suffered a short-lived scare when he fell during an intense rally. Fery showed great sportsmanship, checking on his fellow countryman. As play resumed, Fery maintained the pressure with an early break to lead 2–1, but Clarke managed to reverse the momentum and push his opponent to a third set. At one set a piece, Fery had to dig deep to secure the win: 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to make his debut in the main draw.
With several qualifiers making their breakthrough this weekend, the stage is set for an exciting edition of the BNP Paribas Nordic Open at the Royal Tennis Hall in Stockholm. The main draw action begins Monday, and the week’s lineup is very promising with returning champion Denis Shapovalov headlining alongside regular Stockholm contenders Casper Ruud and Holger Rune.
