HEILBRONN, June 6, 2024

Maks Kasnikowski headlined Thursday’s second-round action at the NECKARCUP by knocking out top seed and 2022 champion Daniel Altmaier of Germany 6-2, 7-5.

The 20-year-old Polish withstood seven aces and broke his rival four times to secure victory in one hour and 44 minutes.

Welcome to the quarterfinals!

Maks Kasnikowski 🇵🇱 knocks out top seed Daniel Altmaier 🇩🇪 6-2 7-5. #ATPChallenger #Heilbronn #NECKARCUP pic.twitter.com/DtWQ2DMM0P

— NECKARCUP Heilbronn (@NeckarH) June 6, 2024

“My serve was key today. I served really well during the entire match. This helped in the crucial moments. I was more aggressive in the end and had a couple of good shots,” said Kasnikowski.

“In matches like this, the mental strengths is very important. I am very happy that I kept my cool in the important moments like in the second set when I lost my serve. It was a big win and I am happy.”

The World No. 264 celebrated his maiden triumph on the ATP Challenger Tour at Oeiras, Portugal in January and came with another title in his bag to Heilbronn, as he lifted the trophy of the ITF World Tennis Tour M25 event in Kiseljak, Bosnia Herzegovina.

“I arrived pretty here pretty late, on Monday evening. I played a lot of matches last week but this week without practice didn’t interrupt my rhythm. I still feel great on these courts here at the tournament. The organization is amazing. It’s one of the best tournaments I have been so far and this helped me to feel good and to adjust,” said Kasnikowski, who will next take on No. 5 seed Luca van Assche from France.

In other action, the highest remaining seed left in the singles draw, India’s Sumit Nagal, beat Javier Barranco Cosano of Spain 6-4, 6-1 in one hour and 23 minutes.

“I didn’t have a good start but the longer the match lasted the better I felt. I felt comfortable in the second set. Javier is a good fighter, it’s never easy against him,” said Nagal, who cracked the Top 100 for the first time in February after winning a Challenger on home soil in Chennai.

“This was very emotional achieving this milestone in front of family and friends,” Nagal added. The No. 3 seed will next play Ivan Gakhov of Russia.

NECKARCUP RESULTS – JUNE 06, 2024

Singles – Second Round
M. Kasnikowski (POL) d [1] [WC] D. Altmaier (GER) 62 75
[3] S. Nagal (IND) d J. Barranco Cosano (ESP) 64 61
[5] L. Van Assche (FRA) d G. Blancaneaux (FRA) 36 63 62
I. Gakhov d N. Sanchez Izquierdo (ESP) 63 61

Doubles – Quarterfinals
[1] C. Frantzen (GER) / H. Jebens (GER) d F. Bergevi (SWE) / M. Veldheer (NED) 36 76(4) 10-5
J. Schnaitter (GER) / M. Wallner (GER) d [3] B. Arias (BOL) / F. Zeballos (BOL) 63 75
[4] L. Martinez (VEN) / C. Rodriguez (COL) d G. Ricca (ITA) / A. Virgili (ITA) 64 64
R. Arneodo (MON) / G. Blancaneaux (FRA) d C. Harrison (USA) / F. Martin (FRA) 64 64

ORDER OF PLAY – FRIDAY, JUNE 07, 2024
HÖRTKORN CENTER COURT start 12:00 pm
[4] L. Martinez (VEN) / C. Rodriguez (COL) vs R. Arneodo (MON) / G. Blancaneaux (FRA)
[3] S. Nagal (IND) vs I. Gakhov

Not Before 3:00 pm
M. Kasnikowski (POL) vs [5] L. Van Assche (FRA)

Not Before 6:00 pm
A. Ritschard (SUI) vs H. Squire (GER)

COURT 1 start 3:30 pm
A. Moro Canas (ESP) vs J. Choinski (GBR)