NEWS
Two Austrians in Florence Quarter-finals
Both ÖTV players secure their spot in three sets.
With Filip Misolic and Sandro Kopp, two Austrians are in the quarter-finals of the ATP Challenger in Florence.
Misolic, from Graz, defeated his opponent Izan Almazan Valiente (ESP/ATP-No. 409) 4:6, 6:3, 6:3.
The first set saw a "break festival" unfold. A total of 23 break points were shared by the two players in this set, with Almazan Valiente coming out on top.
The Graz native then recovered and played more consistently, gradually improving his first-serve percentage. The 25-year-old was able to win both sets and converted his third match point after 3 hours and 1 minute.
In the quarter-finals, he will face Italian Michele Ribechai (ATP-No. 288).
Sandro Kopp's Success
The 26-year-old Tyrolean Kopp followed his ÖTV colleague's lead and also celebrated reaching the last eight. He defeated local favorite Samuele Pieri (ATP-No. 312) 4:6, 6:3, 6:4.
After the first two balanced, close sets, Kopp started dominantly in the decider, soon leading 5:1. Although the Italian started a comeback, he could no longer avert the defeat. Kopp converted his first match point for a 6:4 victory.
With this success, Sandro Kopp re-enters the top 300 of the ATP world rankings. In the quarter-finals, the Tyrolean will face Spain's Alex Marti Pujolras (ATP-No. 484).
