Defending champion Vladimir Vu… was also in his third qualifying match at the HTT-Tour-Finals 2017…
In his third qualifying match at the HTT Tour finals in 2017, defending champion Vladimir Vukicevic was unbeatable and once again demonstrated his extra class. At the HTT’s flagship event at UTC La Ville on Wednesday evening, the second-placed Serb declassified his fellow countryman Filip Markovic, who was seeded at number 7 and had already started without a chance of reaching the semi-final, in just 67 minutes with 6:1,6:3, and thus won his unbeaten masters group as in the previous year. However, Vukiceivc’s third semi-final appearance in the HTT tour finals after 2013 and 2016 had already been secured early after his second round win on Tuesday evening. While Vukicevic remains in the race for a successful title defence at the HTT season finale at Altmannsdorfer Ast, Serbia’s number 2 Filip Markovic has finished his season and now has to wait for a more precise diagnosis of an inguinal injury. A report by C. L.
Serbia’s HTT superstar Vladimir Vukicevic has won the night-session “Serbian qualifying round derby” in the HTT Tour Finals 2017 against Filip Markovic and, with his 67-minute gala performance as one of only eight players in HTT history, has made it into the top ten of three Masters Tournament statistics. Vukiceivc is ranked among the top ten in the categories “the most participations, the most disputed Masters matches and the most individual Masters victories” as the only international player of eight exquisite Master’s heroes of the past. Since Wednesday evening also the most matches in the category, the 36-year-old third place finishes 17th. Masters-Single, with which he caught up to the 10th ranked 2-time Tour-Finals-Champion Bernhard Nagl. After just over an hour, the 3-time HTT-wimbledin winner from Sombor had also improved his rank in the statistic “most individual masters wins” by one rank and with his 12th place he was able to win the title. Victory in the Tour finals was won by the 8th place 2-time master winner Franz Mayrhuber. In this “meaningless” last preliminary round match, the runner-up celebrated his 8th place overall. Individual victory in the Tour finals in series.
The last single of the now completed Group B was not so “meaningless” in the HTT tour finals. On the one hand, the proud Serbian soul is always concerned about honour, but on the other hand 200 ranking points were still at stake, and the 36-year-old can use them well in his fight for the number 1 position at the end of the year against seasonal dominator Lukas Prüger. With the maximum score of 600 points from the preliminary round, Vukiceivc has put in a duel with his young opponent. And he has certainly impressed Prüger – who was also in the audience on yesterday’s fifth matchday – with his performance in the first set. Even though Markovic was visibly overwhelmed in this first round and couldn’t get beyond the role of an extra, it was impressive to see how easily and brilliantly Vukicevic performed at the centercourt of UTC La Ville and enchanted the audience. After the last year’s winner had fought off two break chances in the opening game, the big Vukicevic show at Altmannsdorfer Ast really kicked off. After only 9 minutes 3:0 in the lead, after exactly a quarter of an hour with a 5:0 just before the set win, Markovic came back to the court with a wrongfully wounded cap after the change of sides, and promptly brought his honour game to the 1:5th place with his very first ever winner in this match. Vukiceivc put the lid on it in the strange seventh game of the first set. Three times, he made 40:0 before Markovic discovered his talent in playing brilliant praise and twice overcame the net’s lurking ranking second. The 23-year-old had even found a break chance before Vukicevic had set the course for preliminary-round victory No. 3 after 26 minutes.
Now it was to be feared that Markovic would sink into a total debacle and get a rather dishonourable farewell from his tour finals premiere. But the eighth ranked player showed mentality and a great fighter’s heart, he even developed fun at his last Masters performance for 2017 and tried to recite the glorious atmosphere at UTC La Ville’s Centercourt. He even took away the overpowering opponent’s serve to 1:1, found further break-options to 2:2, and had two more wins on the scoreboard. In the finish, however, Vukiceivc turned up again, scored the last eight points in series and fixed it at 37. semi-final of his HTT career. Late in the evening, there was a big Serbian dinner in the Players’ Lounge before Vukiceivc and Markovic gave a speech and answer to the Serbian derby at the final press conference.
I played very loosely today, there was no burden on the result, maybe that’s why I played so well. But I really hope that my form will improve in general, that I can continue to feel so comfortable at the Centercourt and that it will continue like this. In any case, I am very satisfied with my performance. The Filip didn’t play badly, but I had a great feeling for every ball today,”said the runner-up in the rankings, who was delighted with his eighth individual Masters victory in series. I’ve always had some sort of problem or injury with the Masters. But I also learned how to take care of oneself, how to regenerate, how to win matches without demanding anything from one’s body. I hope it stays that way until the end of this tournament,”said Vukicevic, who hopes that Lukas Prüger, and thus the number 1 to number 2 summit meeting, will be ready for the semi-finals,” because on Friday I will surely be fresher than on the final day,”Vladi smiled. If I play well, it’s in my hands anyway, and then the opponent doesn’t matter,”said a confident Vukiceivc, who could also win some positive points in a dream finale with a fighter,” I think it’s funny that at the end of the season a match could decide the number 1 after an entire season. That would be like last season for the pros with Djokovic and Murray. I’ve been number one all year, it would be a pity if I’m only number two at the end of the year. I’ve got used to being number one, and it would be deserved if lucas ended up being number one. If he were to hit me, then that would be fine, then he’d give the reason why he’s the one. Nevertheless, Vukicevic would love to see the award ceremony at the Centercourt next Saturday and last year,”HTT has become famous in the last few days, and everyone involved in tennis knows this tournament. The tour finals enjoy huge attention in the scene and it would mean a lot to me to be able to win here again. The finals are for me also something like the possibility to save a not so great running season “, Vukicevic concluded the PK.
Vladi started well, he played very well and in the first set I had no chance at all. I was just on the defensive. In the second set he made more mistakes and I was able to play my game better. I could annoy him a little bit, but he deserved to win. Now I need a break from tennis “. I played against three very good opponents and I have always tried to play my best tennis. That happened in phases, but not constantly enough, and that is the problem at this level. Next year, if I’m back next year, and I really want to see that, I’ll hopefully do better and finally beat the top stars,”said Markovic, looking back on his 2017 season:” I ended up in the top 8 for a reason. I diligently scored points, competed twice against good people in the final and I was in the HTT-Wimbledon semi-final against Vladimir. I’m looking forward to next year,”says the 23-year-old, in which he would like to see a tournament victory,” but the focus is on improving my game and getting stronger on the serve. These are my two most important goals,”Markovic said goodbye to the HTT Tour finals in 2017 at UTC La Ville.