Tennis Challenger

The dream is over! Neumayer is eliminated in Salzburg

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures/David Geieregger)

Tennis ace Lukas Neumayer is eliminated from the Salzburg Open in three sets. Kitzbühel also falls through for the man from Radstadt due to "communication problems". Former Salzburg winner Thiago Monteiro now favorite for the title.

The sun came out almost as if it had been ordered for local hero Lukas Neumayer's evening match in the Volksgarten. The player from Radstadt initially played like the weather in the quarter-finals of the Salzburg Open: nice and dry, winning the first set against Kyrian Jacquet by a clear 6:2 after 31 minutes. But then the thread suddenly snapped. Despite leading 2:0 in the second set, he lost it 4:6. The Frenchman also took the third set. "It was really difficult. But I'm really happy that I stayed so focused," jubilated Jacquet, who said to himself after the first set: "Either you play or you go home." The latter now applies to crowd-puller Lukas Neumayer. "I kind of lost the game over time. I still had a few chances to break at the end, but I made far too many easy mistakes. Then it's my own fault."

Brazilians now favorites
Which is true in terms of the match, but not in terms of missing out on the 250 tournament in Kitzbühel. "I wanted to play it, but there were communication problems." The 21-year-old had actually been accepted for a wild card. However, because this was not confirmed ("The person in charge always told me that he would confirm it next week - he didn't do that"), Neumayer had to name other tournaments (Tels, Verona, San Marino). Of the remaining four players, Thiago Monteiro is now the favorite.