Challenger in Zadar

Neumayer wins duel against compatriot Thiem

Lukas Neumayer made it through the round of 16 with ease.

(Bild: GEPA/Manfred Binder)

Red-white-red duel at the Tennis Challenger in Zadar: Dominic Thiem plays against Lukas Neumayer from Radstadt in the round of 16. The man from Salzburg beat qualifier Mathys Erhard with ease on Tuesday afternoon.

Tennis ace Lukas Neumayer celebrated a clear 6:3, 6:2 victory over French qualifier Mathys Erhard (ranked 330) at the Tennis Challenger in Zadar. The player from Radstadt survived the sixteenth final on Tuesday afternoon in 1:22 hours. "He wasn't a bad opponent, but I managed to keep up my game," Neumayer summed up.

In the round of 16 on Wednesday, the red-white-red team will face Austria's former number one Dominic Thiem for the first time. The Lichtenwörth native already made it through the first round as the top seed against Croatian local hero Filip Krajinovic on Monday.

"I already saw it in the draw and was a bit nervous before the match. But it's cool, I'm really looking forward to it," said the world number 219, confidently looking forward to the duel.

When Dominic Thiem was in the top ten in the world for many years in his heyday, Neumayer looked up to him: "I really liked his style of play." The Lower Austrian is now far from his best form and is only ranked 90th in the world. "If I concentrate on myself and have a good day, I'm sure I can do something," says Neumayer.

The two have already faced each other in an unofficial match during the coronavirus pandemic. "But there was nothing at stake," explains Neumayer. His current and Thiem's former coach Günter Bresnik is not in Croatia. Dennis Novak has also left after his retirement, so Neumayer is on his own.