Sebastian Korda defeated Alexei Popyrin 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 in the first round of the ATP 250 event in Athens on hard court, confirming his status as pre-match favourite at odds of 1.55 to Popyrin's 2.61. After dropping the opening set, Korda regrouped to take control of the match, winning the second and third sets with increasing command. The American's ability to recover from an early deficit proved decisive in securing progression to the next round. Korda's victory reinforces his current form on hard courts and maintains his upward trajectory in the ATP rankings.