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Dennis Novak took the first step towards a possible duel in the quarter-finals with his best friend Dominic Thiem on Monday in Kitzbühel. The 24-year-old Austrian beat compatriot Jurij Rodionov, five years younger, on his ATP Tour debut after a curious match with a 6: 4.0: 6.6: 1. On Wednesday, Novak fights Dusan Lajovic (SRB- 8) for his first quarter-final.
20:43, July 30, 2018
The only 19-year-old Rodionov was born in 1965. first qualified for a main draw of the ATP Tour and also showed his potential against Novak. Novak was happy after a catastrophic second sentence that he had taken the first hurdle.
After the 0: 6 in the second set against the number 268 in the world, he had asked self-criticism: "What's wrong with me?", Novak, who progressed from the qualifying in the third round at Wimbledon, then told Novak. "It was the worst sentence I 've played for months, but all that matters to me is that in the third, I heard and played a little better. " A toilet break brought relief. "I washed my face with cold water and I can not continue playing like that."
For a moment, Novak thought back to the second round of Wimbledon against Lucas Pouille while he was in the lead. had the fifth set and won again. In addition, he quarreled a bit with the conditions of light and light and his contact lenses. "I've seen fuzzy balls because the lenses are getting too dry." Novak has planned for November after an additional medical examination, laser eye surgery.
Against Lajovic on Wednesday he will have to increase significantly but. "He has played very good matches this year, a tight match with Dominic, so of course I have to play a lot better, so I have a small chance," said the world ranking 136. But he would be more easy, unlike Rodionov, to be right handed. "Lajovic plays a big trick, runs a lot, plays a good part and serves well, I know what to expect." Novak is outnumbered in the first game against the world number 66.
Incidentally, it is not Wimbledon who is responsible for promoting it for Novak. "It started with qualifying in Australia, then playing in the Rod Laver Arena against Grigor Dimitrow was a great experience, and it helps the next games." The victory of the Davis Cup against Andrej Rublew in Moscow really boosted him. "That gave me the most confidence, because it was really a very good performance."
Rodionov, who is on double duty with Thiem on Tuesday as well as Novak, confessed after being nervous. After the 6-0 in the second set, he had to wait a few minutes because of the Novak toilet. "I got a little cold then, the concentration decreased, and at first I was not completely there, it was crucial." Novak entered the match so quickly that Rodionov lost his lead with a double break to make it 3-0 in the deciding round.
With his season up here, he almost achieved his goals (Challenger and Top 250) (The victory in Kazakhstan, currently 268.), Rodionov is happy. "Considering that I've been injured in the first three months and that I could not play tournaments, it's a very good season, the only way to get there is."
He has already revised his goal. If he continues to work and play, then 2018, the first 200 are inside. Rodionov is now back in the coming weeks in Pula, Meerbusch and Majorca at the Challenger level. The fact that he accepts the invitation to the extended Davis Cup team ("a great honor") is unlikely because he is "over in China" at tournaments.
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