KAARST, January 19, 2017

Defending champion Mats Moraing and German teenager Rudolf Molleker headlined Thursday’s second round action at the $15,000 Kirschbaum International powered by Energy Concepts, held at the Tespo Sportpark in Kaarst.

Moraing was in total control of the first meeting between the two, didn’t face a break point and converted four of his own to seal a comfortable 6-0, 6-4 victory in only 52 minutes.

“He played a really strong match,” Molleker had to admit. The second seed will next take on fellow German and qualifer Elmar Ejupovic.

The tournament’s number one, Vladimir Ivanov from Estonia, also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Julian Onken from Germany. Ivanov won 66 of the 121 total points placed to finish the encounter in one hour and 26 minutes. The World No. 449 will next play Germany’s former National Champion Oscar Otte, who benfited from the retirement of Lukas Ollert, leading 6-2 after the opening set.

Fourth seed Yaraslau Shyla, who made it into the final at the Südwestbank Tennis Grand Prix in Schwieberdingen last week, fought past Martins Podzus from Latvia 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the stage of the final eight after two hours and 14 minutes. Next up for Shyla will be Yannick Vanderbulcke from Belgium.