Cameron Norrie enjoyed a welcome return to winning ways at the Mifel Tennis Open in Los Cabos, defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 6-1 to reach the second round and end a difficult run of form.
The British left-hander arrived in Mexico on a six-match losing streak that stretched back to April, but the tournament where he won his maiden ATP Tour title in 2021 once again proved to be the perfect place to rebuild his confidence.
Norrie looked composed throughout the match, breaking Kovacevic's serve at key moments before cruising through the second set in just over an hour. The victory also gave him his first career win over the American after losing their previous meeting in Los Cabos in 2023.
The former world No. 8 admitted injuries and a lack of confidence had made recent months challenging, making the victory an important boost as he looks to revive his season. With 12 career match wins in Los Cabos, Norrie remains one of the tournament's most successful players.
He will next face either qualifier Aidan Mayo or Australia's James Duckworth for a place in the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere, Bernard Tomic continued his encouraging comeback by overpowering Mexico's Alex Hernandez 6-1, 6-0 in just 46 minutes. The victory was Tomic's first ATP Tour-level hard-court win since 2021 and followed his recent ATP Challenger title in Lincoln. The Australian now faces fourth seed Karen Khachanov in the second round.
Hong Kong's Coleman Wong also made an impressive start on his Los Cabos debut, defeating fellow youngster Darwin Blanch 6-3, 6-4. The 22-year-old, competing at a career-high world ranking of No. 108, became the first player from Hong Kong to compete in the tournament and will now take on top seed Jiri Lehecka.
Another standout result came from qualifier Tristan Boyer, who upset Gabriel Diallo 7-5, 6-2 to advance. The American's reward is a second-round meeting with third seed Francisco Cerundolo as he continues his impressive run from qualifying.
With former champions rediscovering form and rising stars making an impact, the opening day in Los Cabos delivered a promising start to the ATP 250 tournament.
