ECKENTAL, November 3, 2016

Eckental’s top seed Florian Mayer was back in second round action at the €35,000 Bauer Watertechnology Cup on Thursday taking on fellow German Yannick Hanfmann in the battle of the wild cards. The world number 52 from Bayreuth eventually had the better ending, winning a rollercoaster match 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in one hour and 26 minutes.

“I do not have too many opportunities playing in front of my home crowd. So I enjoy it here very much,” Mayer told afterwards. “I do not think that I am the clear favourite for clinching the title here, as there are a lot of good players on this fast surface here. I just need to show my best possible performance.” Mayer will next play Franko Skugor of Croatia.

Jürgen Melzer, who also entered the main draw with a wild card, knocked out the tournament’s number eight Tobias Kamke of Germany. The 35-year-old Austrian sent down eight aces and converted three of his seven break point chances to advance in one hour and 33 minutes. Melzer will next take on Australian teenager Alex De Minaur.

Second seed Daniil Medvedev emerged victorious from the all-Russian-affair with qualifier Alexey Vatutin. The world number 108 won 55 per cent of the total points played, reaching the stage of the final eight for the fifth time in a row after one hour and 24 minutes. Next up for Medvedev will be German lucky loser Kevin Krawietz, who benefited from the retirement of Marius Copil from Romania, leading 4-2 in the opening set. Copil was forced to stop playing due to a right wrist injury.