Trailing by one set, Alexandre Müller delivered a remarkable performance to overthrow Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the 8th round of the Athens tournament after more than three hours of play.
The only French representative at the Athens tournament remains in the saddle. This Wednesday in the round of 16, Alexandre Müller put in a great match to keep Tomas Martin Etcheverry out of his way. It couldn’t be more balanced, the match gave rise to three tight rounds, all completed in a tie-break. This first standoff between the two men turned to the Argentinian’s advantage. Diabolically efficient in serving, losing no points on his play, the latter took the Frenchman’s serve three times to win the first set in 1h03.
However, subsequently, Alexandre Müller raised his level of play. Certainly he did not pass as many aces as his opponent (8) nor benefit from such an attractive percentage of first balls (66% against 70%), nevertheless he no longer gave up his put in play despite four break points against him at 1-2 as well as a match point favorable to the South American. During the decisive game of the second round, Alexandre Müller excelled, scoring high-class points, at the net among others, to equalize at a set everywhere although he found himself in an unfortunate position (1-4).
Wawrinka tes Museti are neighborhoods
The third act delivered an almost identical scenario. However, it was the Frenchman who obtained a match point on an opponent’s serve before being pushed to the tie-break. During this one, the 43rd player in the world was content to control his serving points and twice confiscated the Argentinian’s throw in to finally win (2)6-7, 7-6(4), 7-6(3) after 3h07. Would the winner of the Hong Kong tournament develop a specialty in winning matches in three sets? In the previous round he had already eliminated Jan-Lennard Struff despite a perilous 0-4 in the deciding game of the final round.
In the quarters, Alexandre Müller will face either the Swiss Stan Wawrinka or the Italian Lorenzo Musetti, seeded n°2 in Athens. Also qualified for the quarters, the German Yannick Hanfmann took out the Czech Vit Kopriva. The Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, for his part, eliminated the Italian Luciano Darderi.
