MEERBUSCH, August 17, 2018

Three German players advanced to the semi-finals of the Tennis Open Stadtwerke Meerbusch. Rudolf Molleker edged out No. 2 seed and Isar Open champion Pedro Sousa 6-3, 6-2 on Friday afternoon.

The 17-year-old saved the only break point he faced, converting three of his own six chances to seal victory in only 50 minutes. Following his triumph in Heilbronn earlier this season, Molleker will appear in the stage of the final four at ATP Challenger level for the second time.

The eighth seeded teenager will next face the tournament’s No. 6 Filip Horansky from Slovakia, who battled past Spanish qualifier Nicola Kuhn 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 in one hour and 44 minutes.

Jan Choinski

Jan Choinski continues his great run of form, winning his eighth match in row. The 22-year-old German captured the ITF Pro Circuit title in Trier last weekend and defeated Bernabé Zapata Miralles of Spain 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 to reach the semi-finals of the €43,000 clay-court event in Meerbusch.

“I didn’t play well at the beginning of the match, as I made to many errors,” Choinski analyzed after the one hour and 38 minutes encounter. “But I kept fighting and managed to improve towards the end of the match.”

Next up for Choinski will be compatriot Dustin Brown, who rallied past Kevin Krawietz 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2. The 33-year-old Celle native sent down eight aces and won 56 per cent of the total points played to prevail after one hour and 43 minutes.