ISMANING, October 15, 2019 (by Dietmar Kaspar)
Tuesday’s second round action at the Wolffkran Open 2019 was headlined by the victory of Daniel Masur from Germany. The No. 15 seed of the €69,280 ATP Challenger event defeated Jelle Sels from the Netherlands 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
The 24-year-old German fired 17 aces and won 87 per cent of his first-service points to secure victory in one hour and 43 minutes.
A happy Masur told Tennis TourTalk after the match: “I felt pretty good from the beginning of the match, but at the score of 5-6, I was unconcentrated for two minutes and gave the first set away. It was possible for me to raise my level to win the second set. The third set was very close and completely open, so I am happy to get the final win. The first match on this surface is not so easy, so I am very satisfied with my performance today”.
Next up for the Munich resident will be Italian veteran Luca Vanni. The 34-year knocked off fourth favourite Tallon Griekspoor from the Netherlands. Winning 87 per cent of his first-service-points, unseeded Vanni prevailed 6-4, 7-6(4) in 75 minutes after being down by 1-4 in the tiebreak of the second set.
Huesler shocks Nedovyesov
Marc-Andrea Huesler from Switzerland rallied past Ukraine-born Aleksandr Nedovyesov, who is representing Kazakhstan. The No. 293 of the World struck 11 aces during the 53 minutes lasting encounter to clinch a 6-4, 6-4 victory against the No. 9 seed.
Huesler stated: “The result looks easier than it was on the court. I had to save the first break points of the match, but I made the big points and this counts. I know his game very well because we played club matches together for a team in Switzerland”.
23-year-old Huesler will next take on Russian veteran Teymuraz Gabashvili. The 34-year-old beat Indian No. 6 seed Ramkumar Ramanathan. The former ATP No. 43, who is currently ranked on position 305, did not drop a service game by converting one of his three break-point opportunities, to secure a 6-3, 7-6(3) win after one hour and 30 minutes.
Napolitano stops teenager Forejtek
Italian No. 14 seed Stefano Napolitano advanced against the US Open juniors champion Jonas Forejtek from the Czech Republic. The 24-year-old Italian broke his 18-year-old rival three times by saving all six break points he faced to seal a 7-5, 6-1 win after exactly one hour. The World No. 231 will oppose the winner of the encounter between Czech top seed Jiri Vesely and Lucas Miedler from Austria.
The marathon match of the day was the three-set clash between No. 7 seeded Quentin Halys and Cem Ilkel from Turkey. Lasting two hours and 40 minutes, the 22-year-old French converted one of his six break-point opportunities to claim a 6-7(9), 6-4, 7-6(4) win. The No. 180 in the ATP rankings will meet the winner of the match between Spanish No. 10 seed Adrian Menendez-Maceiras and Benjamin Hassan from Germany.
“I am really happy at the moment because I did not play well in the last months. It was a very tough match and with a tiebreak in the third set it is always a crazy battle. The key was my great serve today, I did not lose a service game during the match,” Halys said.
First round action
Tuesday’s first-round matches was highlighted by the epic three-set battle between wildcard entry Daniel Altmaier from Germany and German-born Jan Choinski, who is representing Great Britain since the beginning of the year.
21-year-old Altmaier came back from a set down, to tie the level. In the tiebreak of the final set, the Kempen native saved three match points to prevail 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(8) after one hour and 52 minutes. The match was finished by a double fault from Choinski.
“I was out for five weeks due to a torn ligament at the right ankle before the ITF Tournament in Bad Salzdetfurth last week, but I feel better every day. In such matches it is important to stay tuned and I was the luckier player today,” Altmaier told Tennis TourTalk.
The World No. 410 will compete against French No. 11 seed Constant Lestienne in the second round.
Lenz sets all-German clash versus Bachinger
German qualifier Julian Lenz eased past Lukas Klein from Slovakia, who already clinched five titles on the ITF World Tennis Tour this season. The Giessen native, ranked ATP No. 259, capitalized on three of his five break-point opportunities to seal a 6-4, 6-3 victory after 58 minutes. The 26-year-old, who is coached by Klaus Langenbach from KL Sports, will face German No. 5 seed and local favourite Matthias Bachinger.
Lenz said: “At the beginning of the match, I did not have any chances to break him, but I stayed solid on my own serve. Getting the break at the score of 4-4 with two great returns was a perfect timing to claim the first set. I kept focused on my service in the following to get the final win”.
Earlier in the day, Zdenek Kolar opened today’s Centre Court action. The 23-year-old Czech rallied past left handed youngster Mats Rosenkranz from Germany, who entered the tournament as a qualifier. Lasting 70 minutes, Kolar won 88 per cent of his first-service points to claim a 6-4, 6-4 victory. The No. 277 in ATP rankings will next take on No. 13 seeded Tristan Lestienne from France.
“It is never easy to return against a big-serving lefty on carpet, especially in front of his home crowd. I did not play on this surface for three years, but I started very well into the match. The key was my own good service, so I am very happy about the win,” Kolar said.
On Court 1, British veteran James Ward battled past 20-year-old Pavel Kotov from Russia. The World No. 291 fired 13 aces to seal a 7-6(2), 7-5 win after one hour and 29 minutes. He will face German No. 8 seed Yannick Hanfmann, the champion of the first Wolffkran Open in 2017.
