ISMANING, November 3, 2023
Two Germans have reached the semi-finals of the singles competition at the 2023 Wolffkran Open by Tannenhof, an ATP Challenger Tour 75 tournament being held on carpet at the Tennis Club Ismaning in Bavaria.
Rudolf Molleker overcame a tough test on Friday afternoon by beating Russian alternate Alibek Kachmazov 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-3. The 23-year-old from Oranienburg fired 22 aces and won 82 per cent of his first-service points to seal victory in two hours and four minutes.
“It was again a very close match,” Molleker told Tennis TourTalk. “I had three break points at the beginning of the second set but I couldn’t capitalize on them. Then, I lost the set in the tie-break but I converted my chances in the third. Overall, it was a good match and I served well, which helped me today.
“When I was young I practiced a lot on the carpet and I played my first semi-finals at a Futures here at this venue. Now, it is a semi-final at Challenger level. Nice having a little upgrade.”
Molleker is pleased with his season, in which he captured his second ATP Challenger Tour career title in Prague, his first since Heilbronn 2018.
“My goal was to play Grand Slam tournaments again and that’s what I have achieved. I will compete in the Australian Open next year. I am very happy about that. It was a very good season. We worked a lot and it was the right move to go back home, teaming up with my old coach Benjamin Thiele. I need to feel comfortable and that’s the case right now,” the World No. 219 explained.
Up next for Molleker will be qualifier Antoine Bellier, who emerged victorious from the all-Swiss affair with 2020 Wolffkran Open champion Marc-Andrea Huesler, winning 6-3, 6-2 in only 53 minutes.
Marterer to face Klein
The bottom half of the draw is led by No. 2 seed Maximilian Marterer. The 105th-rankded German beat Czech qualifier Andrew Paulson 6-2, 6-4. Marterer saved the only break point he faced and converted three of his own eight break-point chances to prevail after one hour and nine minutes.
Marterer will next take on Lukas Klein. The in-form Slovakian, who is on a 10 match winning streak after his triumph in Ortisei, Italy last week, edged out local wild card entry Max Hans Rehberg 6-3, 6-2. The encounter lasted 53 minutes.
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