Julian Reister downs Cedrik-Marcel Stebe to qualify for the main round of BMW Open
German Julian Reister, ranked 94th in the world, rallied past compatriot, world number 204 Cedrik-Marcel Stebe in three thrilling sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the final qualifying match at the BMW Open in Munich on Monday.
It took the German two hours and 13 minutes to oust his opponent in a tough contest.
Reister and Stebe held their serve in the first six games of the opening set, taking the score to 3-3. Reister broke Stebe in the eighth game and held his serve in the next game, winning the first set 6-3.
The German delivered a single ace and did not commit any double fault in the opening set. Reister hit 56 percent of the first serves, converting a whopping 93 percent of them into points in the first set. The German capitalized
on one of the two break point opportunities he created in the opening set.
In the second set, Stebe broke Reister in the second game, racing to a 3-0 lead. However, Reister fought back as he broke Stebe in the fifth game and held his serve in the next game to level the score at 3-3. After that, Stebe
won three consecutive games, breaking his opponent in the eighth game to win the second set 6-3.
The 20-year-old neither hit an ace nor committed any double fault in the second set. Stebe fired 58 percent of the first serves and won 67 percent of the points on them in the second set. The German converted two of the five break
points he received in the second set. The right-handed could not save the only break point he faced in the second set.
Both players broke each other on a number of occasions in the deciding set. Reister and Stebe exchanged two breaks of serve in the first eight games of the final set, levelling the score at 4-4. Reister broke again in the ninth
game and served out the set at 5-4.
Reister hit a single ace and the same number of double fault in the third set. The German kept his first serve percentage at 67 percent and won 61 percent of the points on his first serve in the final set. The 25-year-old converted
all three break points he received in the deciding set.
The German has succeeded to qualify for the main round in his third attempt. He lost to Andreas Beck of Germany in straight sets 4-6, 3-6 in the second round of the qualifying draw in 2007. The right-handed was defeated by Spaniard
Pere Riba in three sets 6-3, 4-6, 4-6 in the final qualifying round last year.
Reister will take on another compatriot Daniel Brands in the first round of the main draw.
Tags: