Kohlschreiber struggles past Berlocq in Hamburg

Top seed Philipp Kohlschreiber booked his place in the second round of the German Tennis Championships 2016 after a hard-fought 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 win over Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq on Tuesday.
The 2014 semifinalist needed two hours and 36 minutes to record his 386th tour-level victory, a milestone which puts him squarely in third behind Boris Becker (713) and Tommy Haas (563) — and ahead of Michael Stich (385) — for most wins by a German in the Open Era. The Augsburg native also improved to a 6-3 record against Berlocq, who was competing only in his fifth match of the season.
Kohlschreiber, 32, next faces another Argentine, Nicolas Kicker, as he continues his bid for a second title in 2016. The world No. 22 defeated Dominic Thiem to clinch the Munich crown two months ago.
A pair of Spaniards made noise on the German clay, with world No. 156 Daniel Gimeno-Traver defeating second seed Benoit Paire 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in their first-round encounter.
Gimeno-Traver recorded his first tour-level win since April and sixth of the season as he saved 14 of the 21 break points he faced to topple Paire in two hours and nine minutes on center court.
Countryman Inigo Cervantes, No. 82 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, downed No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev 7-5, 7-6(2).
Seventh seed Martin Klizan avoided an upset as he rallied from the loss of the second set to beat Igor Sijsling 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 in one hour and 44 minutes. After struggling with injuries to his right foot and neck, the No. 47-ranked Klizan claimed his first tour-level win since capturing the biggest title of his career at the ATP World Tour 500 tournament in Rotterdam.
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, the No. 8 seed, saved one match point in the third-set tie-break against Frenchman Kenny De Schepper to close out the 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(6) marathon in two hours and nine minutes.
Stephane Robert ousted 2014 Hamburg champion Leonardo Mayer 7-6(3), 6-4 in one hour and 38 minutes. But there was success for Argentine Mayer’s countryman, Renzo Olivo, who defeated Mikhail Youzhny 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-1 in two hours and 14 minutes.

Rajeev has it easy

In Newport, defending champion Rajeev Ram beat fellow American Mackenzie McDonald, 6-2, 6-3, in the opening round of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships on Monday.
Ram, a two-time winner on Newport’s grass courts — also in 2009 when he won his only other ATP title — needed just 65 minutes to get past the 21-year-old McDonald, making his tour debut.
The 32-year-old Ram won the first set in 33 minutes on a new-look center court area in the shadows of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
He said he enjoys coming back to Newport.
“For me, yeah, I’ve won two titles, they’ve both been here,” he said. “I’ve played here every year since I’ve been a pro. A lot of things make it really special.”
After last year’s event, wooden bleachers at center court behind the south baseline were replaced by stadium seats. An electronic scoreboard was installed, which gave the players the option of challenging calls for the first time at the tournament, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
and doubles title at UCLA before turning pro.
Top seed Steve Johnson, now ranked a career-best No. 25, received a bye and is scheduled to play his first match Wednesday.
In other first-round play, No. 8 seed Donald Young beat fellow American Jared Donaldson, 6-1, 6-3; Dudi Sela of Israel ousted Lukas Lacko of Slovakia, 6-3, 6-2; and Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland advanced when fifth-seeded Vasek Pospisil of Canada withdrew with a back injury.
The Hall of Fame Championships are played in conjunction with induction ceremonies into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Justine Henin, a former WTA world No. 1 and seven-time major champion, and Marat Safin, a two-time major and former world No. 1, are scheduled to be enshrined Saturday during a center-court ceremony.
Amelie Mauresmo, who was enshrined last year but missed the ceremony for the birth of her son, is also scheduled to be on hand.

Source: Arab News