Evgueni Smirnov defeated Valentin Sanon 6-3 7-6 in the Israel F3 round of 16 on hard. The upset overturned the form book — Valentin Sanon came in leading the head-to-head 1–0. Evgueni Smirnov claimed a first win over Valentin Sanon in two meetings, narrowing the head-to-head to 1–1.
| Date | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-06-11 | Macedonia F1 | R32 | clay | Valentin Sanon | 7-6(4) 6-4 |