“At the moment I am sad, but also proud,” concluded Matthias Bachinger after an eventful week at the Moselle Open in Metz, France. The 31-year-old German fought his way through qualification to his first final on the ATP World Tour, which he lost to local hero Gilles Simon in two sets 7-6 (2) and 6-1 on Sunday.
Bachinger looked a little bent after the award ceremony. However, after seven matches in the last nine days in the Grand-Est region, this was mainly due to exhaustion.
“I felt a little tired after some intense games during the week today,” Bachinger confessed after the final. “Nevertheless, I had my chances. The first set was also a bit unfortunate. In the second set Gilles played very well, often hit the line and I knew that it would be very tough for me. In the end, he deserved to win.”
Looking back on what he had achieved, however, the smile quickly returned to the face of the blond boy from Munich, who was able to take many positive things home with him. “Of course, disappointment prevails today. But if someone had told me at the beginning of the tournament that I would be in the final, I would never have believed it.”
Especially the success in the semi-final against the former number 4 of the world, Kei Nishikori, showed the German some previously unimagined strengths.
“I’ve learned that I don’t have to be afraid of any player. I can keep up with many opponents. Winning against Nishikori is something special. “If I’d been a little fresher today, I can win this thing and it gives me extreme confidence.”
The 150 points won will wash up Bachinger around 135th place in the ATP world ranking. As a result, the tournament schedule has not yet been finalized for the next few weeks.
“I’m registered at the ATP Challenger in Orléans, but I have to see how I feel physically. Maybe the ATP tournament in Stockholm will follow. But first we have to go back home,” says Bachinger. His coach Tobias Summerer, who spent the week at Bachinger’s side in Metz despite appendicitis and hospitalisation, was there with him.
“I would also like to thank him expressly for that. He pulled it off with me here and I take my hat off to it,” said the likeable Munich native.
There was also recognition from the winner. “Matthias didn’t make it easy for me,” said Moselle Open Champion Gilles Simon. “I had to fend off three set points in the first set. “I put a lot of energy into this game to keep the momentum on my side.”
Simon won his 14th ATP tournament title, the third at home in Metz.
“My family was at the finale today. It’s a great tournament and I’m very comfortable here. You’re always happy to come back,” said the world’s number 39.
Also the double title went to good old acquaintances. The Frenchmen Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin won their fifth team title on the ATP World Tour with a 6:1, 7:5 victory against the British brothers Ken and Neal Skupski. It was Mahut’s and Roger-Vasselin’s fourth success at the Moselle Open.