BAD RAPPENAU, June 1, 2026
The 2026 Neckarcup got underway on Sunday in Bad Rappenau with the start of the qualifying competition. A total of 12 matches were scheduled, but persistent rain interruptions meant that only half of them could be completed.
The results for the German players were mixed. Marvin Moeller raced past Czech Michael Vrbensky in dominant fashion, dropping just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 victory. Max Wiskandt, who entered the ATP Challenger 100 draw as an alternate, won an all-German encounter against Christoph Negritu 7-5, 6-2.
However, the opening round of qualifying marked the end of the road for David Eichenseher and local favourite Kerim Akkocaoglu. The latter’s opponent, Jordanian Abdullah Shelbayh, demonstrated remarkable sportsmanship before the match had even started. Akkocaoglu was on the verge of being disqualified because the logo of one of his sponsors on his shirt exceeded ATP regulations. Unable to provide a replacement shirt within the allotted time, he faced automatic elimination. Shelbayh stepped in and lent Akkocaoglu one of his own shirts, allowing the match to go ahead as scheduled. Shelbayh eventually prevailed 6-4, 6-2 and has already secured his place among the tournament’s fair-play highlights.
The longest match of the day featured Frenchman Matteo Martineau and Dutchman Sander Jong. Fourth-seeded Martineau was edged out after more than two and a half hours, falling 3-6, 7-6, 7-6.
The interrupted matches, along with the remaining first-round qualifying contests, will resume on Monday from 10 a.m. Fans can also look forward to seeing two well-known names in action. 2024 Neckarcup champion Sumit Nagal of India will begin his qualifying campaign, while Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan, a semi-finalist in Bad Rappenau in 2021, will attempt to complete his suspended match against Germany’s Tim Handel. Galan was leading 6-4, 4-0, 40-30 when heavy rain forced play to be halted.
SUNDAY RESULTS
Qualifying Singles – Round 1
[3] Abdullah Shelbayh (JOR) d [WC] Kerim Akkocaoglu (GER) 64 62
Sander Jong (NED) d [4] Matteo Martineau (FRA) 36 76(2) 76(3)
Georgii Kravchenko (UKR) d [6] Benjamin Hassan (LBN) 62 64
[9] Marvin Moeller (GER) d Michael Vrbensky (CZE) 60 61
[10] Raphael Perot (FRA) d [Alt] David Eichenseher (GER) 64 62
[Alt] Max Wiskandt (GER) d [11] Christoph Negritu (GER) 75 62
