Philipp Kohlschreiber (Augsburg) has reached the second round at the Masters in Paris. The 35-year-old defeated Dutch qualifier Robin Haase 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-2 after initial difficulties and will now face number five set former US Open winner Marin Cilic (Croatia).
Kohlschreiber turned his first match point into a victory after 2:08 hours. “I felt so comfortable, but I made a lot of unnecessary mistakes in the first sentence,” he said to Sky. Kohlschreiber, who managed ten aces, scored again and again with his first serve and Haase accepted the service a total of five times.
The Augsburg player has a good chance against Cilic, who is seventh in the world rankings. “I want to play another great tournament at the end and give everything once again”, says Kohlschreiber, number 43 in the ATP ranking. Cilic is still fighting in Paris for a ticket for the season finale in London (11th to 18th November).
Peter Gojowcyzk, on the other hand, was eliminated in the first round in Paris, while the Munich player lost to Damir Dzumhur (Bosnia-Herzegovina) 4:6, 6:7 (5:7) after 1:27 hours. Alexander Zverev (Hamburg) is still in the race for the 5,444,985 Euro hard court tournament from a German point of view. The fifth placed in the world rankings had a walk-through in the first round.