Opposed to the one who had beaten him in the last round of qualifying, before being drafted, Antoine Hoang lost in three sets against Peter Gojowczyk in the first round in Metz.
There was a time when the Metz tournament allowed the French to shine, and we sometimes found six in the round of 16. This year, there will be a maximum of two, proof that French tennis is going through very dark hours. After Simon, Muller, Rinderknech, Humbert and Barrère, it was Antoine Hoang who disappeared in the first round on Wednesday. Lucky-loser, the 155th player in the world was opposed to the one who had beaten him in the last round of qualifying on Monday, the German Peter Gojowczyk, winner of the only tournament of his career in Metz in 2017. And the 101st world won again in three sets: 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in 2:03. In a match where both players experienced ups and downs with their service (6 aces, 4 double faults, 7 breaks conceded by the French, 12 aces, 5 double faults, 5 breaks conceded by the German), Gojowczyk pocketed the first set by leading quickly 4-1 then 5-2, before losing the second by being broken twice. In the third set, the German led 4-2, then Hoang broke (3-4) before losing his serve again (3-5). He saved four match points at 4-5 and managed to break down, but he still lost his serve when he had the opportunity to come back to 5-5. It is therefore Gojowczyk who will challenge Karen Khachanov in the eighth. The French chances rest on Lucas Pouille and Gaël Monfils.
METZ (France, ATP 250, hard inside, € 481,270)
Title holder (in 2019): Jo-Wifried Tsonga (FRA)
Round of 16
Hurkacz (POL, n°1) – Pouille (FRA, WC) ou Schnur (CAN, Q)
Pospisil (CAN) – Murray (GBR, WC)
De Minaur (AUS, n ° 4) – Giron (USA)
Gojowczyk (ALL, Q) – Khachanov (RUS, n°7)
Basilashvili (GEO, n°8) – Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
Kohlschreiber (ALL, Q) – Monfils (FRA, n ° 3)
Sonego (ITA, n°5) – Rune (AND, Q)
M.Ymer (SUE) – Carreño Busta (ESP, n ° 2)
First round
Hurkacz (POL, n°1) – Bye
Pouille (FRA, WC) – cord (CAN, Q)
Pospisil (CAN) bat Barrier (FRA, WC) : 6-3, 6-4
Murray (GBR, WC) bat Humbert (FRA, n ° 6) : 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
De Minaur (AUS, n ° 4) – Bye
Giron (USA) bat Rinderknech (FRA) : 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4
Gojowczyk (ALL, Q) bat Hoang (FRA, LL) : 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Khachanov (RUS, n°7) bat Muller (FRA, Q) : 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
Basilashvili (GEO, n°8) bat Mager (ITA): 6-3, 7-6 (5)
Davidovich Fokina (ESP) bat Simon (FRA, PR) : 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-2
Kohlschreiber (ALL, Q) bat Cecchinato (ITA): 7-6 (3), 6-3
Monfils (FRA, n ° 3) – Bye
Sonego (ITA, n ° 5) bat Fucsovics (HUN): 6-3, 6-2
Rune (DAY, Q) a Zapata Miralles (ESP, LL): 6-0, 6-0
M.Ymer (SUE) bat Struff (ALL) : 7-5, 6-3
Carreño Busta (ESP, n ° 2) – Bye
