Philipp Kohlschreiber retired in round one of the French Open 2018: the German Davis Cup player lost to the strong Croatian Borna Coric 3:6, 6:3, 3:6 and 4:6.
By Jens Huiber from Paris
The idea for the coming years in Roland Garros was already outlined at last Thursday’s draw: Larger, wider, drier, is the motto that includes the construction of a new stadium in the adjacent botanical garden. Court 6 on the other side: typical Paris. Positively formulated: very intimate.
Philipp Kohlschreiber had to face Borna Coric there, after Peter Gojowczyk’s task unplanned early: Just before 2 p.m. the long-standing German number and his Croatian opponent went on the pitch, under conditions that coach Lars Uebel described very warmly and inadequately. In fact, these days there is a sultriness over Paris, which tennis professionals normally know best from the US Open.
Kohlschreiber started well as a setback, but was unable to take advantage of his early chances. After just under three quarters of an hour, Coric got off to a 6-3 start. Kohlschreiber with the same result, round two. The two opponents had faced each other in the final of Marrakech in 2017, when Kohlschreier missed a match point and Coric left the field as tournament winner.
With good performances in the last weeks the German Davis Cup player had played his way back into the line of seeded players, Borna Coric was no reward for it, on the contrary: The Croatian does not have the technical finesse of Kohlschreiber, but on the other hand is not suspected of being physically reduced in the course of a longer match.
After Kohlschreiber had also lost set three with 3:6, the early break Corics in set four was almost the same as the decision. As a serve, the Croatian did not allow any more and used his second match point after 2:39 hours.