Peter Gojowczyk has reached his first final on the ATP World Tour.The 28-year-old resident of Munich benefited from Mischa Zverev’s sick leave in the preliminary round of the Moselle Open in Metz on Saturday afternoon.
Gojowczyk led 6-3,1-0 before Zverev after only 29 minutes playing time gave the signal to stop playing.
Asked about the reason for his mission, Zverev told tennisnet:”A cold.I had a sore throat and a little bit of sniffing at the beginning of the week, but I felt physically okay.”
Zverev, seeded at number five in Metz, reached the semi-finals with victories over Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Henri Laaksonen and Kenny De Schepper.
“I played three good matches and went to bed last night with the feeling that tomorrow morning will be really difficult.This morning I woke up with a little fever and joint pain.After one or two lengthy rallies I ran out of breath today and it got a bit dizzy.That was the sign that the body can’t do it anymore.I tried again, but I just felt too bad.Peter plays really well, too.It only makes sense if you’re at 100 percent.”
However, Zverev won’t be able to enjoy much time for recreation “I’m flying to Shenzhen, where I want to play next week.I hope to be on my feet by then.”
His opponent today would have preferred an exit with a converted match point.
“That’s a pity for him, of course, and I hope he’ll be fit soon.I would have liked to have won in two or three sets.Despite everything, I am happy to be able to play in the final tomorrow,”said Gojowczyk, who fought his way into the semi-finals of Metz as a qualifier with further victories in the main draw over Norbert Gombos, Gilles Simon and Marius Copil, losing just one set.
Gojowczyk may also see the location of the event as a special part of this, but it’s been over three years since the 85th World Ranking Lists were established.celebrated his Davis Cup debut for Germany, scoring a dramatic five-set win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.Venue back then: Nancy, only an hour’s drive from Metz.
“That was a hell of a feeling and I wouldn’t trade for anything.That was my absolute highlight match”, Gojowczyk looks back with joy at the atmosphere back then.
“After the Davis Cup I had to fight with injuries again and again.It’s hard to come back then.But now I feel physically very good again and I am often on the road with my physio.That helps me maintain my level.”
Gojowczyk will meet the French local hero Benoit Paire on Sunday.The number 7 of the tournament beat 17 aces during his 6-1,7-6 victory over Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili.Paire fought off all four break points and turned three of his own chances to make it to his first ATP finals of the season after exactly one hour.
In Nancy, it was not quite enough for Germany’s progress in the end.Gojowczyk had lost his second singles match against Gael Monfils and Germany lost in the quarter-finals.This time in Metz, Gojowczyk wants to return from France with a success.