MEERBUSCH, August 12, 2019

2017 champion Ricardo Ojeda Lara of Spain qualified for the main draw of the 2019 Tennis Open Stadtwerke Meerbusch. The World No. 625 defeated Karol Drzewiecki of Poland 6-1, 6-3 on Monday afternoon at the GWR Büderich.

Ojeda Lara capitalized on five of his 10 break point chances to secure victory in one hour and 14 minutes. The 26-year-old Cadiz native will take on Facundo Mena of Argentina in the first round of the €46,600 ATP Challenger clay-court event.

German wild card entry Mats Rosenkranz also made into the main draw. The lefty from Essen fought past Michael Gaerts from Belgium, winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 12 minutes. Up next for Rosenkranz will be ITF-entry Jeroen Vanneste.

German players advance to second round

Yonex Tennis Base player Kai Breitbach celebrated his first main draw match win at ATP Challenger level. The unranked German beat fellow wild card entry Pavle Daljev from Serbia 6-1, 7-5. The 21-year-old won 59 per cent of the total points played to advance in one hour and 13 minutes. Breitbach will next challenge No. 8 seed Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil.

Lucas Gerch, who also entered the main draw with a wild card, opened his Meerbusch campaign with a win. The World No. 477 edged past Vaclav Safranek from the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 11 minutes to face No. 3 seed Pedja Krstin of Serbia in the second round.

For tickets, please visit the tournament’s official website.