ATP Challenger Lima: Gerald Melzer in the first Challenger Semi for over three years
At the clay court challenger in Lima, Peru, Gerald Melzer benefited from a task by his opponent Eduard Esteve Lobato and is in the semifinals.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Oct 01, 2021, 08:35 pm
Great performance by Gerald Melzer in Lima: The Lower Austrian, who started with a protected ranking in the main competition of the ATP clay court challenger, is in the round of the last four after his quarter-final opponent has given up. Before the premature handshake, Melzer was already in the lead 6: 2, 3: 0 against the Spaniard Eduard Esteve Lobato. In the semifinals on Saturday, the Austrian will face Camilo Ugo Carabelli from Uruguay, who was eighth in Peru.
For Melzer it is the greatest success on the tour in over three years. The last one was the current world number 664. stood in a semi-final at Challenger level in June 2018. At the highly endowed clay court event in Prostejov, Czech Republic, it was only in the round of the last four against Jaume Munar from Spain 6: 4, 3: 6, 2: 6. In 2019 and 2020, the former world number 68 fought. with a persistent ankle injury. In the last few weeks Melzer has already shown a clear upward trend with quarter-finals in Telfs (ITF M25), Liberec and Ambato (both Challenger).