ATP Challenger Ismaning: Molleker wins the main field opener against Masur
At the ATP Challenger tournament in Ismaning, the six final matches of the qualification and five matches of the first main draw round were played yesterday, Monday. While two German players were able to successfully qualify, three DTB professionals won the start of the main draw at the “International German Indoor Tennis Championship” worth 73,000 euros.
by PM
last edit:
Oct 31, 2023, 08:41 am
In the “Match of the Day” Daniel Masur (ATP No. 434) from Bückeburg met Rudolf Molleker (ATP No. 219) from Berlin. The two players already faced each other in the final of the TennisBase Open in Oberhaching in the spring, where the 28-year-old Masur was able to secure the title of the ITF World Tennis Tour tournament in his “home game”. After one break each, the first round was decided in a tiebreak, in which the 23-year-old Molleker was able to prevail. In the second set, Masur managed the break in the eighth game and was able to equalize the set. He was also able to take his opponent's serve in the third set and quickly move away to 3-1. Nevertheless, Molleker managed to turn things around and won five games in a row to win 7:6 (4), 4:6, 6:3 after 1:38 hours. The winner analyzed with satisfaction: “It was basically a very close match that could have gone either way. Playing against a good friend on their home soil is a big challenge anyway. Despite several deficits, I always believed in victory.”
Squire masters the opening hurdle confidently
Duisburg's Henri Squire (ATP No. 265) celebrated a perfect start in the main field of the ATP Challenger tournament in category 75. Against Denis Yevseyev from Kazakhstan, the 23-year-old took more and more control of the match after a balanced start and triumphed after 58 minutes with 6:3, 6:4. After the encounter he commented: “ Of course it's always something special to prepare for such a special surface like carpet, but I think that's part of the sport of tennis. I had a lot of fun today playing in such a great atmosphere with so many spectators on a Monday evening. At the beginning it took me a while to get into the match. I served well throughout and I think that, as a more aggressive player, I deserved to win ." In the second round, Squire is waiting for Squire, the Swiss Marc-Andrea Hüsler, the 2020 champion, who easily beat last year's in two sets Wimbledon junior champion Mili Poljicak from Croatia was able to prevail.
Stodder fights his way through
In addition to Molleker, the second Berliner in the field also impressed with his fighting qualities. Against the Ukrainian Vitaliy Sachko, 27-year-old Timo Stodder (ATP No. 312) managed to win 3:6, 7:6 (3), 6:3 after losing the first set after just over two hours of play.
Rosenkranz and Wessels play their way into the main field
Two DTB professionals were able to successfully qualify for the main draw. It was particularly exciting again for Mats Rosenkranz (ATP No. 430) from Essen, who beat Austrian David Pichler in the tiebreak of the third round yesterday. The 25-year-old fought back against the Tunisian Skander Mansouri after losing the first set and won after 2:26 hours with 6:7 (8), 6:3, 7:6 (6). In the first round of the main draw, the left-hander challenges the Hungarian Mate Valkusz. Bielefeld's Louis Wessels (ATP No. 342) also made it into the main draw in three sets. In 81 minutes, the 25-year-old got the upper hand against Marius Copil from Romania 4:6, 6:4, 6:3 and will face Czech qualifier Andrew Paulson in the first round of the main draw, who will face Duisburg's Tom Gentzsch (ATP -No. 666) with 3:6, 7:6 (5), 7:6 (4).