Dominic Thiem defeated Juan Pablo Varillas 6–3, 7–6 in the first round of the ATP 250 Astana event on hard court, confirming his status as pre-match favourite with odds of 1.43. The Austrian secured a commanding first set before facing stronger resistance in the second, where Varillas pushed the encounter to a tie-break before succumbing. Thiem's victory, achieved without dropping a set, underscores his continued competitiveness on the ATP circuit and sets up a favourable path through the early rounds in Kazakhstan.