ATP: Florian Mayer says goodbye to and from Munich

Florian Mayer has been eliminated at the ATP World Tour 250 tournament in Munich. The German veteran lost to the Slovak Martin Klizan 6:3, 4:6 and 3:6 despite a high lead in the third set.

By Jens Huiber from Munich

For Florian Mayer, Munich is like Kitzbühel emotionally: “The ambience, the atmosphere, the external circumstances fit. Only one very important external circumstance is not: the altitude. And if Mayer could choose an underground, it would also be grass-green rather than brick-red. The game of the Bayreuthers unfolds best at sea level and on grass, the royal road for Mayer would probably be a love match of the tournaments in Halle/Westphalia and Hamburg.

Mayer prepared intensively with coach Tobias Summerer during the last days, on Sunday he trained with Maximilian Marterer at the MTTC Iphitos. The surprise effects have been kept within limits on both sides, people know and appreciate each other from the joint practice sessions at the Oberhaching tennis base.

Martin Klizan is now at the bottom of the list of desired opponents from the qualification. For two reasons: The Slovakian won the title in Munich a few years ago, wearing Fabio Fognini down in the final – especially with a long treatment break. Klizan is also something of a giant killer, well, he’s at least the only player to have lost more than four games in a set to Rafael Nadal on the ashes since his defeat in Rome in 2017.

Klizan, however, had only arrived from Barcelona on Saturday, had to play Ernests Gulbis in the afternoon and is currently wearing a rather powerful tape bandage around his right knee.

Mayer has the tried and tested medicine for this and liked to use the stop ball, especially at the beginning. A blow, however, that Martin Klizan also has in his repertoire. Mayer nevertheless started better, won the first set 6:3. 3:1 in the second round, the Slovakian had suffered on both sides. Mayer equalled immediately, but lost the set 4:6 – started the third with a break. Klizan was already too dark or too slippery. Or both. In any case, the left-handed man discussed with chair referee Fergus Murphy so intensively and for such a long time that the spectators could watch the darkness fall.

Mayer took a 3-0 lead. And stopped playing after that. The next last gigs of Florian Mayer in Germany will be better for the farewell party: in Stuttgart and Halle auf Grasen.