Kowalczyk, Schmid, Middelkoop, Uhlig win qualifying matches – Eckental Challenger 2011
The qualifying rounds of the 2011 Eckental Challenger took place on October 29, 2011 in Eckental, Germany, where players fought to win their respective qualifying matches in a quest to make into the tournament. In the opening qualifying
match of the 1st round, Jiri Brabec (Czech Republic) faced Mateusz Kowalczyk (Poland).
The 908th ranked Kowalczyk scored a straight set victory against Brabec, 6-2, 6-4, who still has to make a place in world rankings. The 24-year old Polish player scored seven aces against his Czech opponent and saved the only break
point that he conceded. On the other hand, Brabec scored two aces but could not save any of the three break points, showing his incompetency on the tennis courts.
In the second qualifying match, Michal Schmid (Czech Republic) defeated Mortiz Baumann (Germany) 6-4, 7-5. The 22-year old Czech player won the first set 6-4. The 24-year old Baumann scored an impressive thirteen aces in the match
while his opponent, the 479th ranked Schmid delivered nine aces.
Both players scored an equal number of double faults, with six each. Schmid had a higher ratio of break points saved as he saved six break points out of eight while his opponent, the 809th ranked Baumann could save five out of
the nine break points he conceded.
The third match of the day in the men’s qualifying 1st round saw Matwe Middelkoop (Netherlands) defeat Till Guttenberger (Germany) in straight sets. The 28-year old Middelkoop thrashed the 19-year old German player 6-2, 6-1.
The 280th ranked Dutch was in total control of his young competitor, as Guttenberger had no room to counter attack. The German could save only six of the eleven break points he conceded while Middelkoop had a hundred percent break
point save ratio by saving all of his four break points.
In the fourth match on October 29, 2011, Oleksiy Odazhyu (Ukraine) was defeated by Daniel Uhlig (Germany). Both players, 20-years old, fought an evenly contested match but Uhlig was successful in winning his qualifying match.
The German, ranked at 1063rd in the world, delivered seven aces in his 6-3, 7-6 (1) victory against Odazhyu. The German saved all the eleven break points that he conceded while the Ukrainian could only save two out of his three
break points. Odazhyu did show some resistance in the second set when he took the match into a tiebreaker but the German prevailed and qualified for the tournament.
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