David Goffin saves five match balls against Herbert

Belgian David Goffin, second-seeded, began his season at the ATP 250 in Antalya on Thursday and did so with a hard-fought victory over his doubles partner, Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, before which he came back and saved up to five match balls.

Goffin, who beat Herbert by 3-6, 7-5 and 6-0, was against the ropes in the second sleeve and after having lost the first. The Frenchman dominated 5-4 and had five match balls that he could not take advantage of.

The Belgian recovered to the situation, aimed his sleeve 7-5 and already in the third set he overwhelmed his doubles partner with a resounding 6-0.

In the second round Goffin will meet the winner of this Friday's duel between the Spanish Nicola Kuhn and the German from the previous Matthias Bachinger at around 10:00.

Also through the first round were Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, sixth seed, and Kazakh Alexander Bublik, eighth. The seventh seed was eliminated, the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, who fell to the hands of the Italian Stefano Travaglia 1-6, 6-4 and 6-0.

Antalya tournament results.