Haas Sets Up Federer Clash In Stuttgart
Haas Sets Up Federer Clash In Stuttgart
Stuttgart fans will be treated to a battle of close friends on Wednesday when Tommy Haas and Roger Federer square off in the second round of the Mercedes Cup.
The 39-year-old Haas advanced past Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 on Tuesday to get another chance at Federer, the top seed who received a first-round bye.
“I felt I served well… we both struggled a little with the returns. We used our chances when we got them. The key part to winning the match was getting that one more break point than my opponent. I’m obviously very pleased and anything can happen on grass,” said Haas, who converted two of three break points.
The 35-year-old Federer leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 13-3 but they haven’t played in more than three years, since the 2014 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Haas last beat Federer during the final of the 2012 Gerry Weber Open in Halle for his second grass-court crown. He also won Halle in 2009.
“We have known each other for a very long time,” Haas said of Federer. “We started to get closer around the time when my fiancée and his wife became friendlier. Then we had kids and started to hang out much more. We used to have the same agent, Tony Godsick, who is a very close friend of mine, so it was always an easy connection. [Federer] is a first-class guy. I have great times with him and I am happy to call him my friend.”
Haas, who plans to retire after this season, is making his seventh and final appearance in Stuttgart. He also advanced to the second round in 2015, the first year the tournament had transitioned from clay to grass.
Herbert’s countryman Benoit Paire was victorious in his Stuttgart opener, ousting eighth seed Viktor Troicki of Serbia 6-4, 6-4. Paire landed only 45 per cent of his first serves but claimed 55 per cent of his second-serve points to advance. The 6’5” 28 year old has emerged as this season’s ATP World Tour “Iron Man” so far.
Stuttgart marks the 18th ATP or Grand Slam tournament Paire has competed at this season – the most events possible based on the calendar. The Frenchman improved to 18-17 this season and will next play German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk, who beat Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Read More: Federer: ‘There Are No More Breaks Now’
Two-time finalist and home favourite Philipp Kohlschreiber moved into the second round when former World No. 8 Marcos Baghdatis retired after losing the first set 6-1. Kohlschreiber is looking to return to the Top 50 of the Emirates ATP Rankings after falling out on Monday for the first time since October 2011. He will next meet American Steve Johnson.
Spaniard Feliciano Lopez improved to 4-2 against Gilles Simon in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series with a 6-3, 6-3 victory against the seventh-seeded Frenchman. The 35-year-old Lopez will meet Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, who outlasted German and 2016 Halle champion Florian Mayer 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(1).
Pole Jerzy Janowicz, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2013, set-up a second-round meeting against second seed Grigor Dimitrov after prevailing against Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in one hour and 59 minutes. The 26-year-old Janowicz saved six of seven break points.