ATP Stuttgart Qualifiers: Martineau and Mpetshi Shine Against Tough Opponents
Only one French player, Arthur Rinderknech, made it directly into the main draw of the ATP 250 event in Stuttgart. The Frenchman will face Alex Michelsen in his opening match. However, three other French players managed to navigate through the qualifying rounds in Germany. Richard Gasquet, who defeated Benjamin Bonzi, was unable to secure a second victory as he fell to Pierre-Hugues Herbert in a hard-fought match that ended 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(5). Herbert showcased his skills on grass with 33 aces and 60 winners to claim the victory. Herbert will now face James Duckworth, while Gasquet will need to continue his campaign in Germany as it is unlikely that Sascha Zverev will participate in the tournament.
Matteo Martineau, who had only played one professional grass court match before, scored an impressive win against Maximilian Marterer in the first round. Martineau then continued his winning streak by defeating Maxime Cressy in a tight match that ended 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(5) to advance to the main draw where he will face Denis Shapovalov.
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard also had a successful run in the qualifiers, defeating Vadym Ursu and Benjamin Hassan in back-to-back matches to secure his spot in the main draw. Mpetshi showcased his powerful serve with 37 aces and will now face Lorenzo Musetti in the next round.
Overall, it was a day of impressive performances from the French players in the ATP Stuttgart qualifiers, with Martineau and Mpetshi standing out with their resilient victories. Stay tuned for more exciting matches in the main draw of the tournament.