By Alberto Amalfi | Wednesday, July 20, 2022
World No. 48 Alex Molcan saved 13 of 16 break points toppling defending champion Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(5) in Hamburg.
Photo credit: Getty
Pasting an ice bag over his face like an oxygen mask on changeovers, Alex Molcan was one cool customer in Hamburg.
On the hottest day of the Hamburg European Open, Molcan toppled defending champion Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(5) in a grueling two hour, 30-minute triumph.
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World No. 48 Molcan saved 13 of 16 break points and withstood 13 aces from Carreno Busta, who carried a 10-3 career Hamburg record, includining winning 10 consecutive sets into this match.
After two hours, 20 minutes of play on this scorching day, Molcan opened the tiebreaker lofting a rainbow lob winner to earn the immediate mini break. When the reigning champion netted a backhand, Molcan went up 4-1.
Carreno Busta leveled at 4-all when Molcan raced up quickly to a drop shot and poked a short backhand pass off the sideline for 5-4. Two points later, Molcan thwarted a serve-and-volley attempt with a crisp pass for match point.
Fittingly, Molcan closed with a drop shot winner improving his 2022 clay-court record to 13-4.
Tennis racquet or 🪄?Drop shot perfection from 🇸🇰 Molcan@hamburgopen pic.twitter.com/8pyEizw7FX
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 20, 2022
Next up for Molcan is a quarterfinal clash vs. Borna Coric.
Earlier, Coric permitted just seven points on first serve and saved all three break points he faced defeating Dutch No. 2 Tallon Griekspoor 6-3, 6-4.
Former world No. 12 Coric, who returned in March after being sidelined last year for eight months with a right shoulder injury, is through to his first ATP Tour quarterfinal since March 2021 when he reached the Rotterdam last eight.
HUGE 💪@AndreyRublev97 #HamburgOpen pic.twitter.com/1MJylw4N24
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 20, 2022
No. 2-seeded Andrey Rublev rolled past lucky loser Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 6-4 to reach the second round.
The hard-hitting Russian ripped 12 aces and saved four of five break points in a 73-minute win. Rublev, who beat Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the 2020 Hamburg title, is now 10-2 at the tournament. Rublev will face Francisco Cerundolo next.
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