MAIA/STARNBERG, December 16, 2021
The quarterfinals of the Maia Open 2 are set and will be led by World No. 118 and top seed Andrej Martin of Slovakia, who received a walkover from qualifier Luca Potenza on Thursday. The Italian was forced to withdraw from his second-round match due to stomach illness.
Martin will next take on Sebastian Fanselow. The 29-year-old German, who moved to Portugal 18 months ago, knocked off No. 8 seed and home favourite Goncalo Oliveira 7-6(3), 6-4. Fanselow sent down five aces and won 76 per cent of his first-service points to seal victory in one hour and 57 minutes.
“I served very well today and played very solid in the important moments,” said Fanselow. The World No. 365, a winner of 11 titles on the ITF Pro Circuit, has reached his eighth quarterfinal on the ATP Challenger Tour, his first since January 2019 and his first ever on clay.
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Eduard Esteve Lobato rallied from a set down to overcome Romanian youngster Filip Cristian Jianu 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 13 minutes. The 27-year-old Spaniard will next take on last week’s Maia Open runner-up Chun-hsin Tseng of Chinese Taipei 7-6(4), 6-3 after one hour and 32 minutes.
In the bottom half of the draw, World No. 210 Nuno Borges remains the last Portuguese left in the singles draw. The No. 5 seed eased past Italian qualifier Edoardo Lavagno 6-3, 6-2. Borges converted five of his 10 break-point chances to advance after 68 minutes.
Up next for the 24-year-old Maia native will be Nikolas Sanchez Izquierdo of Spain, who edged out No. 4 seed Gastao Elias from Portugal 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3 in two hours and 21 minutes.
Elliot Benchetrit of Morocco beat Nick Hardt from the Dominican Republic 6-3, 6-4 to face German qualifier Elmar Ejupovic. The encounter lasted one hour and 39 minutes.
