SZCZECIN, September 15, 2017
Florian Mayer headlined Friday’s quarterfinal action at the €127,000 Pekao Szczecin Open, knocking out local favourite Jerzy Janowizc 6-2, 7-6.
In front of a packed Centre Court, the second seed from Germany won 78 per cent of his first service points and capitalized on four of his six break point chances to secure victory in 78 minutes.
“Jerzy did not seem to be really focused in the first set. He is playing in front of his home crowd and has to handle the pressure but the spectators were really fair,” Mayer told after his fourth win over Janowicz in as many meeting between the two.
“I struggled a bit in the middle of the second set but managed to finish the job. Getting into the semis at such a big tournament is great, but of course I would like to reach the final.”
Mayer also seems to enjoy the chilly weather in Szczecin. “It actually suits my game pretty well. The court is relatively slow and so I was able to get into the rallies against him. Overall, conditions are really good here.”
Next up for Mayer will be Jurgen Zopp, who has extended his winning streak to 15 matches. The 29-year-old from Estonia powered past Germany’s Dustin Brown 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Zopp, champion of the ATP Challenger in Alphen aan den Rijn last weekend, managed to come back from two breaks down and a 1-4 deficit in the final set. In the end he won 23 points more than Brown to secure victory in one hour and 30 minutes.
Top Seed Gasquet Remains On Course
Later in the evening, Richard Gasquet survived scare from Argentine Guido Andreozzi. Under the lights on Centre Court, the 31-year-old Frenchman had to save match point in the second set and eventually gained his fifth and decisive break in the ninth game of the final set. Gasquet secured a 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 win in two hours and 30 minutes.
“He was very powerful from the baseline,” Gasquet told. “I was not so happy with my backhand, but I saved the match point pretty well and I am looking forward to the semi-finals.”
The top seed will take on Taro Daniel. The 24-year-old from Japan eased past US-American Bjorn Fratangelo 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 17 minutes.
