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The prerequisites for the ÖTV veteran and his partner were anything but easy. Melzer / Roger-Vasselin needed a 2-0 win to even qualify for the semi-finals. This was accomplished through homework. The big losers were Mate Pavic and Bruno Soares (CRO / BRA). The seeded duo was eliminated. Melzer / Roger-Vasselin will face Rajeev Ram / Joe Salisbury (USA / GBR / 2) on Saturday (7pm).
Melzer is in his third ATP Finals appearance after 2010 and 2011 for the first time in the semi-finals. “When you are in the semi-finals at the end of the year, you know that anyone can win. We are now, I am very happy about that. Now we want to play well, so it would be extremely good to be there on Sunday, “said Melzer.
Granollers / Zeballos serve in a set win
The doubles at the O2 Arena started late because Granollers had to seek treatment before the match started. In the game itself there was not much to do with the injury. Melzer had to resign his service to make it 1: 2. The Austrian and French, who only qualified for the season finale at the last tournament in Sofia, were long behind this deficit.
However, with their backs to the wall, they managed to turn around. The important break was achieved with the return of the Austrian. If Melzer / Roger-Vasselin had lost this sentence, the possibility of the semi-finals would have been lost. Granollers had his shoulder treated again, but initially the game continued. After the first point of the tie-break it was over. Granollers / Zeballos decided to surrender so as not to further compromise their participation in the semifinals.
“Surprised by homework”
The question that arose afterwards, whether an opponent’s task would have changed something if the first set had been won, was answered negatively by the ATP. One task always leads to 2-0 sets in the group. “We were quite surprised that he gave up,” Melzer explained later. Then you stayed in the supervisor’s office. “Then it quickly became clear that we were group winners.”
With Dominic Thiem, who will face Novak Djokovic on Saturday, and Melzer there are two Austrians in the semi-finals of the London Masters. “That is, of course, crazy. For such a small country, we definitely do not have to hide in world sport, ”said Melzer, who will take over as ÖTV’s sporting director after the Australian Open.
ATP World Tour Finals in London
(Great Britain, $ 5.7 million, indoor court, hard court)
