ATP Generali Open: Shock – defending champion Kohlschreiber out in Kitzbühel

Philipp Kohlschreiber is out of the ATP World Tour 250 tournament in Kitzbühel. The defending champion lost in three sets to Denis Istomin from Uzbekistan at the Generali Open.

First appearance on Wednesday – that is actually the rule for the four top seeded players in a 28 tableau. For Philipp Kohlschreiber the late start came just in time, after all the defending champion had come to the Generali Open 2018 with a slight cold. Which in the end was one of the main reasons why last year’s winner had to say goodbye again.

7:5, 3:6 and 1:6 the final result against Denis Istomin – at temperatures close to 40 degrees. After the match, Kohlschreiber came to the conclusion that his participation was not due to reason, but to his attachment to the tournament in Gamsburg.

Kohlschreiber had started the match with a 2:4-balance against the Uzbek, Istomin had also won the last match. On grass, though. Kohlschreiber started concentrated, in contrast to his opponent the native of Augsburg had to find his playing rhythm again.

The decision in the first set was made in the eleventh game, Kohlschreiber managed the break to 6-5, Istomin had his left ankle re-taped at this score, but the set went to last year’s Kitzbühel champion after 53 minutes.

Coach Lars Uebel was joined by manager Stephan Fehske in the Kohlschreiber box, as always in a good mood: “Nobody can fool Fehske at the table tennis table, he had already searched in vain for equal opponents in the players’ area on Tuesday.

His protégé, however, concentrated on the tasks on the centre court, varying speed and cut as usual. And also convinced with smooth footwork. In the fifth game Kohlschreiber missed a break chance, Istomin, who came into the tableau after qualifying, did not let up. On the contrary, the 31-year-old, who lives in Tashkent, took the break, scored 4-2 and served 6-3 despite some problems.

In the third set, Kohlschreiber’s tank was finally empty. Istomin finished confidently and will meet Maximilian Marterer in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

Here the single tableau in Kitzbühel