ATP Challenger: Jurij Rodionov is subject to Cedrik-Marcel Stebe - false start in important February
Jurij Rodionov failed in the round of 16 of the Cleveland ATP Challenger event at the German Cedrik-Marcel Stebe. A false start to an important February.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Feb 02, 2022, 07:07 pm
Jurij Rodionov - who had an extremely successful month of February on the Challenger Tour in 2020 - has 240 out of 542 points to defend this month. Without a doubt, the native of Nuremberg is under a lot of pressure when he performs in North America. And now had to take a first big setback in Cleveland.
After Rodionov reached the semi-finals in Columbus last week and narrowly lost in three sets against Swiss talent Dominic Stricker, he lost in the round of 16 in Cleveland on Wednesday. Against the German Cedrik-Marcel Stebe it was the end of the line with 5:7, 6:3 and 1:6.
Rodionov started twice on the ATP tour
According to the plan, the Austrian wants to start at the two ATP 250 events in Dallas and Delray Beach in the next two weeks before the Davis Cup duel with South Korea is on the agenda. In any case, at the two dates in the USA it is "obligatory" for the young Austrian from Lower Austria.
Cedrik Marcel Stebe will probably meet the top seeded American Tennys Sandgren in the round of the last eight. Sandgren plays Italy's Thomas Fabbiano in the round of 16.