Oscar Otte wants to spruce up his tournament victory record in Ostrava
Oscar Otte continued his successful run at the Ostrava Open and moved into the finals of the clay court tournament endowed with 132,280 euros. On a warm, sunny Saturday afternoon in the northeast of the Czech Republic, the 27-year-old German defeated the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6: 2, 6: 4. In the final for his second title on the ATP Challenger Tour, it is now against what is probably the most formidable player since the restart of the international circuit.
by Florian Heer from Ostrava
last edit: Sep 06, 2020, 09:07 am
Otte dominated his semi-final match in the first set and only had to fear for victory in the second round. But the Cologne man could rely on his serve, served 10 aces and won 88 percent of his first serve points. After 1 hour and 18 minutes, Otte left the center court at SC Ostrava, which was well filled with almost 250 spectators.
“I started the match very well and was perhaps a tad fresher than Tallon, who has played a few matches in the past three weeks,” Otte said afterwards. “Nevertheless, I don't want to diminish my performance. I served well and mixed the game well. It was warmer today than the days before, which suited my serve. Wind was also there, which is where some unforced errors resulted. But I was able to adapt well to the circumstances and am very satisfied with my performance. "
Otte, who is already on the road for the third week in a row in the Czech Republic after two tournaments in Prague, also feels right at home in the northeast of the country. “It's a great challenger level here. Everyone tries very hard. Everything is there. The food is good and the hotel is right in town. "
Otte switches the US Open in Ostrava
However, Otte regularly dares to look across the pond towards the US Open these days. “The timer is set to five every day,” beamed the Rhinelander. "That makes you want to watch every year, especially the matches of the German players, of course."
When choosing the matches from New York, Otte paid particular attention to doubles. "I'm particularly waiting for the matches of my best friend Andreas Mies," he explains, and thanks to the Roland Garros Doubles Champion shared with Kevin Krawietz last year, he also gets an insight into the bubble in the Big Apple. “We are in contact every day and have already made phone calls. His arrival was probably not particularly cool, as he had to spend a day or two in the hotel room, as the laboratory was no longer open in the evening and he had to wait longer for his result. In general, the players seem to be well taken care of and I keep my fingers crossed for him. "
Karatsev challenge
In the final in Ostrava, number 219 in the ATP world rankings will now face Aslan Karatsev ( from 11 a.m. here in the live scores ). The 27-year-old Russian moved into his third consecutive final with a 6: 3, 6: 3 win over the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp. Karatsev has won 14 of his 15 matches since the restart. Only against Stan Wawrinka was he defeated in the final of the Prague Open. A week later, also in the Czech capital, he celebrated his second overall success on the ATP Challenger Tour.
Otte will be playing his sixth final at this level. “Finals are never easy. The best two players of the week face each other and only one can win, ”said Otte, who last had the chance to win the title in April last year in Francavilla, Italy. There are a total of five defeats in finals. In Lisbon 2017 he celebrated his only triumph so far. The Rhinelander remains positive. “My record is not the best, but I won't worry about that. I'll give it my all tomorrow. If my tennis is good, I can vary my game well against him and I have a good day, I will hopefully get the title. "
Karatsev and Otte met for the first and only time five years ago. Back then with the better ending for the Muscovite. However, the match took place on carpet in the hall in Eckental, Franconia. The conditions in Ostrava on Sunday morning will be different.