TRNAVA, September 23, 2015
Wednesday´s schedule of play in Trnava featured the last three matches of the first round at the ARIMEX Challenger Open 2015. Fifth seed Taro Daniel and the tournament’s number eight Adam Pavlasek were the highlights of the midday session and they both advanced into the second round with comfortable wins.
The 22-year-old Japanese was first up on centre court and he spent little more than 85 minutes on the court, beating Austrian qualifier Tristan Samuel Weissborn in two sets 6-3, 6-4. Daniel secured World Group for Japan on Sunday in Columbia with a win over Alejandro Falla and had to travel all the way to Trnava the following day.
„I think I played a solid match. My opponent started well in both sets, hitting several winners. In the middle of the match I adapted to the conditions and I started playing better. I still feel bit tired, but I believe it will be much better tomorrow. Balls are heavier here in Trnava, I need to get used to it as well.“
Taro Daniel
Meanwhile on court number 5, another Davis Cup competitor from weekend’s schedule, Czech Adam Pavlasek played his match. On Saturday, he won the doubles rubber in India alongside Radek Stepanek, but even a long travel to Slovakia on Monday did not stop him from beating home academy based Player Artem Dubrivnyy in two sets (6-2, 6-2) in less than an hour.
„The match was not easy at all. My opponent was tough from the beginning. I needed some time to get used to his game, but then I was in control of the match. Home players are most dangerous, because they are used to the courts and conditions here, so I am glad I made it through to the next round,“ said the Czech international in his post-match interview.
Adam Pavlasek
Four second round encounters also took place on Wednesday. Top-seed Robin Haase defeated Michael Linzer, winning 6-3, 6-2. The world number 69 from the Netherlands saved the only break point he faced and capitalized on three of his own to seal victory in 68 minuts.
Haase will face with Gerald Melzer another Austrian in the quarterfinals. The 25-year-old from Vienna dismissed last week’s runner-up from Szczecin Artem Smirnon, winning 6-1, 6-2. Melzer won 80% of his second service points and converted seven of his 13 break point chances to close the encounter in 71 minutes.
“I played a solid game today, didn’t miss a lot. I let my opponent do the mistakes and I am happy to be through,” Melzer told afterwards and added that it wasn’t that easy as the scoreboard might tell. “I had to save a couple of break Points and had to come back in many games being 0-30 or 15-40 down. I am happy that I won two matches now and looking forward to the next match.”
Sixth seed Horacio Zeballos fired eight aces to beat Dusan Lojda in only 67 minutes, winning 6-3, 6-3 to face Stephane Robert, who overcame Federico Gaio 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 22 minutes.
