'Not easy' but Britain's Norrie advances in Metz

Cameron Norrie has won five career titles, last triumphing in Rio de Janeiro in 2023

Cameron Norrie overcame Frenchman Valentin Royer to reach the Moselle Open second round in Metz - but fellow Briton Jacob Fearnley suffered an early exit in Athens.

World number 27 Norrie was taken the distance by the in-form Royer, who dominated a second-set tie-break, but the seventh seed reset to win 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 at the French tournament.

British number two Norrie, who described last week's victory over then world number one Carlos Alcaraz as the biggest of his career, reached the final of the Moselle Open last year.

He faces another home player in Arthur Cazaux next as he bids for his first ATP Tour title since 2023.

"The whole match was not easy," Norrie said.

"It's [Royer's] first proper year on the tour and he has almost reached the top 50. I had to fight hard."

Earlier, Britain's Jan Choinski fell to a 4-6 6-4 6-4 defeat to Lorenzo Sonego at the same tournament.

At the other ATP 250 event taking place in the final week of the regular season, British number three Fearnley lost 6-4 6-2 to Bosnian player Damir Dzumhur in Greece.

There will be significant attention on Lorenzo Musetti's progress in Athens, with the eighth and final place at the season-ending ATP Finals still to be decided.

Following world number eight Auger-Aliassime's withdrawal from the Moselle Open because of a left knee injury, the ninth-ranked Musetti must claim the title to qualify for the Finals.

The WTA Finals are ongoing in Riyadh, with Elena Rybakina becoming the first woman through to the semi-finals on Monday.

The men's Finals begin on Sunday in Turin, where five British players will target success in the doubles competition.

World number one pairing Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash, Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, and Henry Patten - who plays with Finland's Harri Heliovaara - were all ranked inside the world's top 10 earlier this month.

Great Britain is the first nation to achieve that feat for 32 years.