Kohlschreiber Curbs Muster Comeback; Andujar Survives Opening Scare

© GEPA PicturesForty-three-year-old Thomas Muster was beaten in first round by Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Fifth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber swiftly ended 43-year-old Thomas Muster’s comeback to the Bet-At-Home Cup Kitzbühel, defeating the 1993 champion 6-3, 6-0 in just 66 minutes in the first round on Monday.

Kohlschreiber, 16 years Muster’s junior, broke serve six times from 13 opportunities and fired eight aces as he ruthlessly dismissed the Austrian wild card, who won the Roland Garros title in 1995. Muster was contesting his first ATP World Tour main draw of the season after going 0-7 on the ATP Challenger Tour.

World No. 43 Kohlschreiber improved to a 23-18 match record on the season, highlighted by winning his third ATP World Tour title in Halle (d. Petzschner) in June.  He set up a second-round clash with Albert Montanes, one of five Spaniards to advance on Monday as he defeated countryman Javier Marti 6-3, 6-2.

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Eighth seed Pablo Andujar survived a scare in his opening match, coming from a set down to defeat Czech Lukas Rosol 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the ATP World Tour 250 clay-court tennis tournament.

The Spaniard, who won his first ATP World Tour title in Casablanca (d. Starace) in April, broke serve five times from 12 opportunities as he fought back to claim victory in two hours and 12 minutes. He improved to a 20-18 match record on the season.

Andujar goes on to face countryman Albert Ramos, who defeated Russia’s Igor Andreev 6-0, 6-7(2), 6-4 in two hours and 25 minutes to notch his ninth tour-level win of the season. The 23 year old is coming off a quarter-final showing in Umag (l. to Dolgopolov).

Another pair of Spaniards advanced when Pere Riba defeated Romania’s Victor Hanescu 7-6(3), 6-4 in one hour and 40 minutes and Daniel Gimeno-Traver cruised past Austrian wild card Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-2 in 66 minutes.  

Sixth seed Andreas Seppi closed the day’s action with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin. The Italian, who won his first ATP World Tour title at Eastbourne (d. Tipsarevic) last month, converted four of 11 break points and won 84 per cent of points behind his first serve to prevail in 61 minutes.