ATP Finals: Jürgen Melzer - Is there anything more possible?
Jürgen Melzer can still reach the semifinals at the ATP Finals in London alongside Edouard Roger-Vasselin . It's a shame that it should end after the Australian Open in 2021.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Nov 19, 2020, 10:13 am
What, the English commentators asked themselves before Jürgen Melzer and Edouard Roger-Vasselin's first match at the ATP Finals, what actually happens if they both win the year-end tournament? And then also the Australian Open? Well, as the English like to say, that's a stretch. But if you didn't get goose bumps towards the end of Melzer / Roger-Vasselin's second appearance in the O2 Arena, you never loved tennis.
Especially the point at 8: 9 from Melzer's point of view, the fourth match point for John Peers and Michael Venus. The Austrian legend held a spontaneous course in forehand, with the result that the last stroke landed perfectly next to the line in the field. On Friday, Melzer and Roger-Vasselin can now try against Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers. Promotion to the semi-finals is still possible, a two-set win would simplify the math.
Soares impressed by Melzer
On the one hand, Melzer said in Cologne that his own system and that of his partner in St. Petersburg had (finally) come together perfectly. There was also the only joint tournament victory of the two veterans. A few days later, however, the 39-year-old left-hander announced that he would take up the post of sports director at the Austrian Tennis Association in the future. And that after the Australian Open 2021 it will be over. He wanted to say goodbye in front of spectators, so Melzer at the time, which does not seem to be guaranteed in view of the complex situation in Australia.
Jürgen Melzer's wit will be missing on the tour, as will the genuine joy after a win like the one on Wednesday. He is happy to accept minor inconveniences. For example, when a very, very motivated Michael Venus smashes a ball to his foot at the very first point of the match.
As far as this can be judged from a distance, Jürgen Melzer and Edouard Roger-Vasselin get along very well, as the pictures from the US Open already suggested. The two-time French Open champion Andreas Mies has recently discovered how important team chemistry is. A pity in several respects if Melzer really puts the club in the corner. Especially since my colleagues still appreciate Jürgen Melzer's class. After the first game in London, Bruno Soares said that Melzer had shown a few magic strokes in the tie-break of the opening set. More of these will be needed on Friday from 6:45 p.m. CET.