Andreas Haider-Maurer going strong in Bank Austria Tennis Trophy
Local favourite and world number 157, Andreas Haider-Maurer continued his lucky run in the 2010 Bank Austria Tennis Trophy as he played his quarterfinal match against second seed, Marin Cilic today. Lucky loser Maurer defeated
Cilic, crushing the latter’s hopes of a title this year.
As the game began, Maurer committed two double faults to Cilic’s zero giving the latter a lead of 4-2 in the first set. However, Maurer served seven aces to make up for the loss and took the set into a tie breaker. In a “service
return” flow that followed, Maurer played excellently for the race to seven points. Losing only one point in the tie breaker, Maurer won the set 7-6(1). Winning the tie breaker, Maurer proceeded into the second set with high confidence that reflected in his
game play. He went in strong and maintained his form; losing only five points on service, he took the lead to win the set 6-4. The match lasted an hour and forty five minutes.
Maurer had this to say after the match, "A dream comes true. I didn't believe before the match that I could win it."
Maurer who retired from his qualifying round final against Turkish Marsel Ilhan earlier in the week, gained entry into the main draw as the lucky loser. His first round matchup was against compatriot, veteran and former world no.
1, Thomas Muster. Maurer gave an excellent performance against the Austrian legend and managed a straight set win of 6-2, 7-6.
Maurer then went onto face Italian Andreas Seppi in their second round matchup. What followed was one of the longest matches of the event, lasting for two hours and thirty minutes. The two professionals moved all over the court
in a nip and tuck battle to get an edge over their opponent. Winning the first set 6-3, Maurer lost the second set in a tie breaker; however, he soon bounced back in the third set taking it again to a tie breaker. This time however, he managed to take lead
in the first-to-seven race, ultimately winning the set 7-6(2). Maurer served a total of eighteen aces to Cilic’s ten in the entire match.
Cilic, who was the runner up at the 2009 Bank Austria Tennis Trophy, entered the tournament with high hopes of another title run for a second year in the running. However, as luck would have it he was ousted from the tournament
in only his second match.
Maurer goes on to join compatriot and top seed, Jurgen Melzer in the semis. Melzer received a walk over into the semi finals, after German Philipp Kohlschreiber pulled out with a right abductor injury.
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