METZ, September 21, 2016
Dominic Thiem headlined Wednesday’s second round action at the Moselle Open in Metz. The number one of the ATP 250 event edged past German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk, winning 7-5, 7-6. Thiem didn’t face a break point and sent down 12 aces to secure victory in one hour and 28 minutes.
“I am very happy to be here. It is a nice tournament and it was a good match today,” Thiem told during his on-court interview after his very first match in Metz.
“I knew it was going to be tough. Peter beat Almagro and two years ago in Doha I lost to him. He is much better than the ranking says, but I was focused during the important points. Playing indoors, service and the returns are important.”
Asked about the pressure and motivation being top seed, Thiem said:
“It is always special to be seeded number one. It is the third time in my career. Of course it is pressure but this is actually the case in every ATP tournament, as the level in exceptionally high.”
Thiem will face Gilles Muller in the quarterfinals. The sixth favourite from Luxembourg cruised past Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili, winning 6-4, 62 in only 56 minutes.
Julien Benneteau stopped the good run of Sczcecin Open runner-up Dustin Brown, winning 6-3, 6-4. The French wild card withstood 14 aces, hiting six of his own to prevail in 65 minutes. Benneteau advanced to his second ATP World Tour quarterfinal of the season after reaching the stage of the final eight in Los Cabos last month. Benneteau will next face either third seed Lucas Pouille or Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
In the opening match on Court Patrice Dominguez, German Davis Cup hero Jan-Lennard Struff defeated 2007 champion Tommy Robredo 7-6, 7-5 in a first round match. Struff won the fifth and decisive match on Sunday over Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz to lift Germany to a 3-2 Davis Cup win and into the World Group next year. Robredo has returned from an elbow injury which has sidelined him from the ATP World Tour since March. Struff won 82 per cent of his first service point and broke the Spaniard’s serve three times to advance in one hour and 32 minutes. The 26-year-old from Warstein will next play the tournament’s number two David Goffin.
Eighth seed Nicoals Mahut also advanced to the second round, as he emerged victorious from the all-French-battle with wild card Quentin Halys 6-3, 6-4. Mahut saved the only break point he faced, converting two of his own to finish the encounter in 68 minutes. He will next face Illya Marchenko. The 29-year-old from the Ukraine won the longest match of the day 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 against Andreas Seppi in two hours and 28 minutes.
Malek Jaziri, who lifted his third ATP Challenger trophy of the season in Istanbul last weekend, continued his good run with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Ivan Dodig. The 32-year-old from Tunisia fired 12 aces, winning 87 per cent of his first service points to set a second round clash with Vincent Millot after one hour and 43 minutes.
