Denis Istomin and Marinko Matosevic will face each other on Wednesday in Munich after taking much different routes to the second round. Jurgen Melzer and Ricardas Berankis are also in action.
Denis Istomin vs. Marinko Matosevic
Matosevic and Istomin will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers when they clash in the second round of the BMW Open on Wednesday. Istomin has won both of their previous meetings; 6-3, 6-2 at the 2011 Kuala Lumpur event and 6-4, 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-4 with home-court advantage on the clay courts of Uzbekistan during Davis Cup action last year.
Istomin will be making a quick turnaround after kicking off his week with a hard-fought 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber. The world No. 55, a quarterfinalist in Bucharest, is now 12-10 for the season. Matosevic was on the ropes in his Monday opener before Michal Przysiezny retired in the second set despite leading 6-2, 5-6. The 68th-ranked Aussie’s recent clay-court results include successful qualification in Monte-Carlo (followed by a first-round loss to Marin Cilic in three sets) and a second-round showing in Bucharest. Matosevic is more well-rested and may have an ever-so-slight edge.
Pick: Matosevic in 3
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(LL) Ricardas Berankis vs. Jurgen Melzer
It has not necessarily been a good week for Berankis in Munich, but it has been a lucky one. The world No. 150 won two qualifying matches before falling in the final round to Martin Klizan. Berankis is 5-3 at the ATP level this season, but three of his victories have come in lower-tier Davis Cup action. Consistently mediocre play over the past two years have him well off his career-high ranking of 67th.
Up first for Berankis in the main draw on Wednesday is Melzer, against whom the Lithuanian is 0-2 lifetime. Both of their previous encounters were final-set thrillers; Melzer prevailed 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 at the 2010 U.S. Open and 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(1) last year in Miami. The 32-year-old Austrian is just now coming back from injury in 2014 and he is off to a solid start. He lost to Julien Benneteau in a tough three-setter in Monte-Carlo and reached the Barcelona third round. Melzer is playing well enough and is good enough on clay (2010 French Open semifinalist, for example) to take care of a struggling opponent.
Pick: Melzer in 2
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Istomin
Meltzer
^^^^ ditto
Do wish somebody would tell all those over 30s how unbecoming it is to still be wearing their caps back to front.
^^^ditto
#PetPeeves
Yeah. It makes even the good-looking guys look gormless. And the gormless looking guys even more so.
Apart from Rafa of course, who looks cute when he dons the habit for the practice court.
Jan-Lennard Struff (ATP-96, Germany) defeated Sergiy Stakhovsky, who eliminated Federer at 2013 Wimbledon.
The net fell down in the middle of the 3rd set
https://twitter.com/augustazeight/status/461524962629521408/photo/1
https://twitter.com/augustazeight/status/461525057362096128/photo/1
Istoman through, beats Matosevic, c’mon Meltzer!
Melzer lost 1st set on a TB. Berankis now ahead 3:2 with a service break in 2nd set.
Melzer breaks back.
Who is Struff? Never heard of him let alone seen him.
Berankis had set and a break? wow.
Melzer wins 2nd set with 5 games win streak.
Now 2-2 in third set, now hoping for a melzer win.
What do you all think?
Lots of breakpoints in the 1st set..
Melzer for the win
I’m not really sure, If melzer can break the first game the same as he did today he will win, but the aussie got a lot of breakpoints too.
why aren’t there lights?
austrian*
and berankis even more..
Is this match being broadcast now? I’ve been out all day and haven’t been able to keep up on the tennis.
Match was stopped 3rd set at 2:2 because of bad light. It could go either way now but Melzer’s greater experience should allow him to get the job done.
but Melzer had the momentum, so Berankis may benefit from the break
@ed,
Thanks for the update about the match. It sounds worth watching. I am going to have to check out the tennis channel to see if they are showing it.
Wen is the melzer game continuing???
Berankis hanging in tough. After handing back a break, Melzer is now serving to stay in the match. Another tie-break coming up.
Melzer must be gutted. He double faulted on match point in the tie break. Interesting young player this Berankis.
Haas holding his own after winning 1st set. Held serve after goodness knows how many Deuces in the 5th game of 2nd set.
Go for it Tommy!
Fascinating ding dong between these two.
And Tommy wins. In straight sets.