NUSSLOCH, January 27, 2016
The first round of the main draw at the $25,000 MLP Cup was played on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Tennis Racket Center in Nussloch.
Top seed Nils Langer opened his title bid through a 6-1, 7-6 victory over Constant Lestienne. The world number 211, who received a wild card, hit 13 aces and converted two of his four break points to advance after 80 minutes. Langer will face German qualifier Vincent Jänsch-Müller, who beat his fellow countryman Nils Brinkmann 1-6, 7-5, 6-2.
The tournament’s number three Uladzimir Ignatik, who arrived from down under playing the ATP Challenger in Happy Valley as well as the qualifying of the Australian Open, opened his campaign at the Racket Center successfully. Yet, the world number 228 had to go the distance, winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 over Sebastien Boltz. Ignatik fired 16 aces and converted three of his 13 break point chances to prevail in two hours and 33 minutes.
Kevin Krawietz also had to fight hard, as he outlasted Matteo Trevisan 6-7, 6-2, 7-5. The 24-year-old German won 72% of his first service points and capitalized on five of his break point opportunities to finish the encounter after two hours and minutes.
Krawietz will take on Mats Moraing. The in-form German, who captured the ITF title in Schwieberdingen two weeks ago, knocked out second seed Jan Mertl, rallying back 5-7, 7-6, 6-3. Moraing fired 21 aces but also produced 17 double faults, still winning 89% of his first service points to reach the second round after one hour and 50 minutes.
Fourth seed Maximilian Marterer cruised past Adrian Sikora 6-3, 6-4. The 20-year-old German won 93% of his first service points, didn’t face a break point and converted two of his own to seal victory in only 58 minutes. Marterer set an all-German-affair, meeting Yannick Maden next.
Eighth seed Marek Michalicka defeated 17-year-old localTim Rühl, who received a wild card into the main draw. The world number 280 from the Czech Republic didn’t lose his service and broke his opponent two times to advance after one hour and 23 minutes.
Other seeds also sailed into the second round. Fifth favourite Alessandro Giannessi defeated Elmar Ejupovic 6-3, 6-4 and sixth seed Federico Gaio knocked out former world number 33 Andreas Beck, winning 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 14 minutes. Number seven Niels Desein outlasted Sadio Doumbia 6-7, 6-0, 6-3 in two hours and 21 minutes.
