KAARST, January 20, 2016

The ITF Pro Circuit continues its indoor swing in Germany with the $10,000 Kirschbaum International Futures event in Kaarst, a town with about 42,500 inhabitants located in North Rhine-Wesphalia.

Two top 300 players entered the draw but one of them has already been knocked out in the opening round. Second seed Sebastien Boltz lost on Tuesday to 24-year-old German Tobias Simon 3-6, 4-6 in one hour and 31 minutes.

Top-seed and last year’s runner-up Marek Michalicka battled back from a set down on Wednesday to overcome Hubert Hurkacz, winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 in one two hours and one minute. Fourth seed Andreas Beck also advanced to second round through a 6-4, 6-3 victory over fellow German Elmar Ejupovic in one hour and 22 minutes.

Oscar Otte advanced to second round (photo: Kirschbaum International)

The champion of last week’s tournament in Schwieberdingen and third favourite in Kaarst Daniel Masur was forced to retire in his opening match against Mats Moraing after 47 minutes, with the latter leading 6-2, 3-0.

“I woke up this morning with pain in my right shoulder,” Masur stated on facebook. “It wasn’t possible to play in a proper way. It is really hard for me to retire being in such a good shape but maybe it is the consequence of only a short period of preparation in December and a tough a last week. I am on my way back to Munich for treatment. I just hope it’s not too serious, so that I will be able to play in Nussloch next week,” he continued.

Moraing will meet German champion Oscar Otte next, who defeated Christian Hirschmueller 6-1, 6-4.

Former world number 91 Jesse Huta Galung had a bad start into the new season. The 30-year-old Dutchman lost to German qualifier Daniel Altmaier 6-7, 3-6 after one hour and 36 minutes in his first match in 2016.