German luck loser Dominik Koepfer saved seven match points to battle past 2016 Paris Rolex Masters champion Andy Murray 6-4 5-7 7-6 (9-7) after 3 hours and 1 minute on his debut at this tournament in the opening round at the Accorhotel Arena in Paris Bercy.
Koepfer, who won just three games in the final round of the qualifying round against Miomir Kecmanovic, took a 6-4 5-3 lead, but he was broken at love when he was serving for the match. Murray earned two match points on Koepfer’s serve at 5-4 in the third set and five more chances in the tie-break of the third set, but he was not able to convert them.
“It was unbelievable. I thought I had in my hands in the second set serving for it for it at 5-4. He just made a lot of balls, I didn’t make a lot of balls. That was the difference, and it was just a great fight in the third set. I just tried to stay in the moment and tried to stay in the moment and play every point. Obviously it’s tough to play against him. He makes so many balls and is unbelievable competitor. I knew that going in, I was ready for it and I am just happy I got through”, said Koepfer.
Koepfer replace Jenson Brooksby, who withdrew from the tournament due to a abdominal injury. The German player will face either Felix Auger Aliassime or Gianluca Mager in the second round.
“I heard about ita t 4 o’clock. I was about to go back to the hotel and then one of the top ATP top managers texted me: ‘You are playing against Andy Murray. Honestly, I was a little nervous. I didn’t expect to play today. I was hoping that someone was going to pull out tomorrow, but a night match in Paris, a lot of fans, they had an unbelievable crowd. The first time for me for a while. It’s been a great day. Unexpected, but it worked and I am happy”, said Koepfer.
Italian Next Gen star Lorenzo Musetti fought back from one set down to beat Laslo Djere 4-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 after 2 hours and 35 minutes. Djere led 3-0 in his previous head-to-head matches against Musetti in the semifinal of the 2020 Sardinia Open, in the quarter final of the Cagliari Open and in the Round of 16 at Nur Sultan.
Musetti had to save a break point in the opening game. Djere earned a break in the fifth game and held on his service games to win the first set 6-4.
Djere earned an immediate break in the first game of the second set, but Musetti pulled back on serve in the second game. Musetti saved two break points at 3-3 in the second set. Musetti earned an early mini-break in the tie-break to take a 5-3 lead, but Djere pulled back on serve to draw level to 5-5. Musetti earned the decisive mini-break on the 11th point to win the tie-break 7-5.
Musetti converted his second break point in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Djere broke straight back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Musetti earned his second break to take a 3-2 lead in the fifth game and did not face any more points, but he served out the win on his fourth match point at deuce.
Pablo Carreno Busta beat Benoit Paire 6-4 6-3. Paire saved a break point in the fourth game to hold serve in the fourth game. Carreno Busta broke serve at deuce in the eighth game from 40-30 down. The Spaniard went up a break in the first game of the second set and saved a break point in the fourth game to hold serve for 3-1. Paire broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Carreno Busta earned his second break at love and served out the win on his second match point in the ninth game.
