Tennis: Anticipated release for Novak in Vienna

"It was a difficult match and I tried everything, but unfortunately I made some stupid mistakes and overall I am already disappointed," Novak said after his break in the interview with ORF. Lower Austria, however, also referred to his opponent's clbad. "I did not play anyone, he won his third ATP tournament last week and he has a very good year," Novak said.

Khachanov with a quick start

A foretaste of what is waiting Novak, there was already in the first match, the Khachanov opponents in a minute to zero for themselves. This was after a break against Novak and another service game won for Khachanov – which gave a total of 0: 3, the false start from Novak's perspective was perfect.

With a fluid game of service, Novak wrote for the first time, then break the number 19 in the world and finally arrive in the game. Meanwhile, Dominic Thiem, Novak's friend and training partner, had arrived in the room. The tournament favorite met with satisfaction Sebastian Ofner and coach Günter Bresnik, while Novak effortlessly equalized at 3: 3.

Thiem crosses fingers for Novak

The joy in the Novak camp lasted only a short time. Khachanov took the score 4: 3 and made another break with the ball. The lines of concern at Thiem and Co. were wider, because Khachanov left nothing to burn and took sentence 1 with 32 minutes after 32 minutes. "He can still do it," Thiem told ORF TV, an optimist. .

But hope seemed vain: Khachanov removed Novak from the service in the opening match of the second round. Novak looked a little helpless, even cheering fans, including football legend Toni Polster, could not give the 25-year-old any more.

Novak spectacular, effective Khachanov

While Novak was doing his service again, Khachanov seemed to have finally reached the winning streak with a 3-0 lead. But the story of the first movement is repeated: once again, Novak succeeds, this time even with two breaks, compensation 3: 3. It was striking that Novak kept the top, especially during long meetings.

And also the most spectacular blow of the game went to the account of Novak: the 137th ranked world played a "Tweener", so the ball through the legs – the point was of course to Khachanov, who fixed the break to 6: 5 a little later with a power roll. With that, the dice had fallen, because during the next service, the effective Moscow remained sovereign and turned after 1:24 hour the first match ball at 7: 5.

ATP 500 tournament in Vienna

(Austria, hard court)