HEILBRONN, May 17, 2018
The quarterfinals of the €85,000 NECKARCUP are set with Jiri Vesely remaining the highest ranked player left in the singles draw. The World No. 81 from the Czech Republic fought past Dutchman Igor Sijsling 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 on Thursday afternoon in Heilbronn.
Vesely, who is playing his first ATP Challenger event since lifting the trophy in Prostejov last June, sent down five aces, winning 76 per cent of his first service pionts to prevail after two hours and six minutes. The No. 2 seed will next take on sixth favourite Henri Laaksonen from Switzerland, who rallied from a set down to overcome German qualifier Benjamin Hassan 6-7, 6-2, 7-5.
Oscar Otte emerged victorious from the all-German-affair with wild card entry Tim Pütz 7-5, 6-7, 7-6. The 24-year-old Cologne native missed one match point in the tie-break of the second set but eventually sealed the deal with his seventh ace after two hours and 47 minutes. It has been the longest encounter of the week so far.
Next up for Otte will be Juan-Ignacio Londero. The 24-year-old Argentine battled past German wild card entry Dominik Köpfer 7-6, 5-7, 6-3. Londero won 53 per cent of the total points played to seal victory in two hours and 15 minutes.
The QF field is set in Heilbronn, with 17-year-old 🇩🇪 Rudolf Molleker the youngest remaining among the last eight.
ICYMI, the teen claimed the point of the week on Wednesday… pic.twitter.com/8lWYwsGojp
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) 17. Mai 2018
RESULTS – MAY 17, 2018
Singles – Second Round
[2] J. Vesely (CZE) d [Q] I. Sijsling (NED) 63 46 62
K. Majchrzak (POL) d [3] Y. Maden (GER) 64 63
[6] H. Laaksonen (SUI) d [Q] B. Hassan (GER) 67(5) 62 75
J. Londero (ARG) d [WC] D. Koepfer (GER) 76(2) 57 63
O. Otte (GER) d [WC] T. Puetz (GER) 75 67(6) 76(6)
Doubles – Quarterfinals
[4] D. Molchanov (UKR) / I. Zelenay (SVK) d P. Petzschner (GER) / T. Puetz (GER) 62 26 10-6
K. Krawietz (GER) / A. Mies (GER) d [WC] A. Giannessi (ITA) / E. Lopez Perez (ESP) 61 60
S. Gille (BEL) / J. Vliegen (BEL) d J. Nedunchezhiyan (IND) / T. Weissborn (AUT) 36 63 10-4
First Round
[Q] M. Niesten (NED) / I. Sijsling (NED) d [1] M. Middelkoop (NED) / A. Molteni (ARG) 57 76(7) 11-9
