HAMBURG, October 17, 2023
Three Germans fell in the opening round of the Hamburg Ladies & Gents Cup ATP Challenger Tour hard-court event on Tuesday.
No. 4 seed Rudolf Molleker was knocked out by qualifier Akira Santillan. The 411th-ranked Australian converted three of his six break-point chances to prevail 6-3, 6-4 in exactly one hour of play. Santillan will next take on either home favourite Marvin Moeller or Slovakian veteran Norbert Gombos.
Earlier in the day, Antoine Bellier of Switzerland defeated German qualifier Lucas Gerch 7-5, 7-6(3). The 26-year-old Geneva native fired 10 aces and won 85 per cent of his first-service points to advance in one hour and 17 minutes. Up next for Bellier will be the tournament’s top seed Dennis Novak of Austria.
In other action, Stefano Napolitano rallied from a set down to outlast local qualifier Daniel Masur 1-6, 6-2, 6-4. The 28-year-old Italian struck eight aces and won 51 per cent of the total points played to secure victory in one hour and 37 minutes. Napolitano will play either third-seeded Hungarian Mate Valkusz or Nino Serdarusic of Croatia in the second round.
TUESDAY RESULTS
Singles – First Round[Q] A. Santillan (AUS) d [4] [WC] R. Molleker (GER) 63 64[6] C. Ilkel (TUR) d H. Laaksonen (SUI) 62 31 Retired[7] M. Neuchrist (AUT) d M. Echargui (TUN) 64 64I. Marchenko (UKR) d [8] O. Krutykh (UKR) 62 63A. Bellier (SUI) d [Q] L. Gerch (GER) 63 76(5)[Q] J. Barranco Cosano (ESP) d D. Added (FRA) 62 57 64[Q] T. Lamasine (FRA) d M. Guinard (FRA) 60 60B. Harris (GBR) d N. Sanchez Izquierdo (ESP) 64 62S. Napolitano (ITA) d [Q] D. Masur (GER) 16 62 64A. Celikbilek (TUR) d [Q] M. Sasikumar (IND) 75 76(3)
Doubles – First RoundD. Masur (GER) / L. Wessels (GER) d M. Basic (BIH) / N. Serdarusic (CRO) 63 64D. Novak (AUT) / A. Santillan (AUS) d [WC] T. Duran (TUR) / N. Larwig (GER) 60 64
