MAIA, December 1, 2022 (by Dietmar Kaspar)
Second-round action in singles of the Maia Open 2022 concluded on Thursday at Complexo de Ténis da Maia.
The home crowd was in high expectations for the battle of the home favourites, where top seed Nuno Borges faced fellow Portuguese and 2020 Maia Open champion Pedro Sousa. Unseeded Sousa, who entered the competition by his protected ranking, had a quick start, breaking his 25-year-old opponent’s serve in the first game. After both players held their serves, 34-year-old Sousa gained a 4-2-lead but injured his right thigh at his last service and was forced to retire after 34 minutes.
“It was a slow start on my side. I tried to get control of the match and for sure I finished better than I started. I felt comfortable on my returns and I think it would have been possible to turn around the score after losing my service in the first game”, Borges told the press.
About his opponent he added: “Pedro is more for me than any Portuguese player. We practised in Lisbon two weeks ago. It hurts me a little bit to see him ending the year injured, but I hope he will return soon.”
34-year-old Pedro Sousa just told @stevefgracio and I that he will spend the next couple of weeks considering his options regarding his career — he has a wife and two kids, so there are more voices to hear now. https://t.co/7mTt1APmfZ
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) December 1, 2022
Borges, ranked World No. 93, will next take on Riccardo Bonadio from Italy. The 29-year-old stopped the run of Belgian qualifier Raphael Collignon. The World No. 194 converted two of his four break-point chances and didn’t lose a service game to claim a 7-5, 7-5 win after one hour and 43 minutes.
“It was a tough match. We both served well for a long time in every set. I tried to change a lot of things in my game and I am so happy, that I have always broken him in the last game of the sets. I like it so much to play here because it is my fourth time to compete at this well-organized tournament”, Bonadio commented after the match.
Asked about his upcoming match against Borges, the No. 8 seed said: “For sure it will be a great challenge for me. I played him twice, here in Maia last year and in Praha this season and I lost both matches. But I am happy to get another chance to play him and I hope the result will be the opposite.”
Choinski remains on course to Australia
German-born Jan Choinski, who represents Great Britain and is based at the National Tennis Center of the LTA in Roehampton, is still in the race to enter the qualifying of the Australian Open in January. In the match against Nerman Fatic from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 26-year-old earned the only break in the opening set. Being a break down in the second set after five games, Fatic took a medical time out due to an injured right ankle. After losing the next game, Fatic was forced to retire at the score of 3-6, 2-4 after 83 minutes.
Neuchrist fights past marathon man Skatov
Following his first-round win after three hours and 22 minutes, No. 6 seed Timofey Skatov from Kazakhstan had to go even longer in the match against qualifier Maximilian Neuchrist with all sets being decided in the tie-break. After winning the first set, the 31-year-old Austrian took a 5-2 lead in the second set but had to go the distance. In the third set with both players gaining one break, the World No. 359 scored five points more to advance 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 7-6(3) after three hours and 32 minutes. Next up for Neuchrist will be World No. 268 Choinski.
“It was a good match from my side because as a qualifier I was the underdog against a seeded player. After winning the first set, the match was under my control until leading set and 5-2. But he fought back really good, so I am overjoyed about my win”, the veteran told Tennis TourTalk.
Van Assche still dreams of maiden Challenger title
Following three finals on the ATP Challenger Tour this season, French teenager Luca van Assche is still seeking his maiden title at this level during his first season on the Pro Circuit. The 2021 Roland Garros Junior champion opposed Bulgarian qualifier Alexandar Lazarov, who is nominated by his country for the inaugural United Cup in Australia. Eighteen-year-old van Assche broke his rival six times and dropped three service-games to triumph 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 39 minutes. The World No. 176 will meet Ivan Gakhov in the quarters.
Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an
Quarterfinal-action in singles and the semi-finals in doubles of the Maia Open will be held on Friday. Play will start at 11:00 a.m. local time.
Wednesday Results
Singles – Second Round
(1) Nuno Borges (POR) – Pedro Sousa (POR) 2-4 ret.
(8) Riccardo Bonadio (ITA) – (Q) Raphael Collignon (BEL) 7-5, 7-5
Jan Choinski (GBR) – Nerman Fatic (BIH) 6-3, 4-2 ret.
(Q) Maximilian Neuchchrist (AUT) – (6) Timofei Skatov (KAZ) 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 7-6(3)
Luca van Assche (FRA) – (Q) Alexandar Lazarov (BUL) 6-3, 6-4
