player Nicholas David Ionel qualified on Tuesday for the round 16 of the challenger tournament in Francavilla al Mare (Italy), with a total prize money of 73,000 euros, after defeating Colombian Nicolas Mejia 6-4, 6-4, write Agerpres.

Ionel (20 years old, ATP’s 205 th), the seventh seeded, beat the South American (23 years old, 235 ATP) after two hours and 25 minutes of playing.

The Romanian secured a 1,165-euro cheque and 7 ATP points and will face Italian Edoardo Lavagno (24, ATP’s 357th) in the second round.

Nicholas David Ionel is tied with Lavagno in direct matches, after the Italian won in 2022, in the final of an ITF tournament in Marrakech, 6-4, 6-2, and recently dropped in the first round in Roseto degli Abruzzi (challenger), 7-5, 4-4 for the Romanian.