Stand: 10:16 p.m.
Sep 3, 2021; Flushing, NY, USA; Peter Gojowczyk of Germany celebrates after recording match point against Henri Laaksonen of Switzerland in a third round match on day five of the 2…021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Source: USA TODAY Sports / Jerry Lai
Peter Gojowczyk is only known to tennis experts. The man from Munich has been struggling on the tour for years. In the 39th attempt, the 32-year-old has now made it into the round of 16 of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time at the US Open.
Dhe Munich tennis professional Peter Gojowczyk won the duel of qualifiers at the US Open in New York and reached the round of 16 in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in his career. The 32-year-old from Munich won against Henri Laaksonen from Switzerland 3: 6, 6: 3, 6: 1, 6: 4.
“Just take it with you and enjoy and go on,” said Gojowczyk on the TV channel Eurosport. “Second week at a Grand Slam, it was unbelievable to play on such a large square,” he said and reported that “now I have probably received 100 messages from home again”. “I can pat myself on the shoulder.”
Gojowczyk (r.) Thanks his opponent Henri Laaksonen after the victory
Source: USA TODAY Sports / Jerry Lai
Both opponents had secured a place in the main field through qualification. After 2:07 hours, Gojowczyk, number 141 in the world rankings, turned his first match point against Laaksonen, who was in 130th position. In the fight for a place in the quarter-finals, Gojowczyk will now face third-placed Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas or Carlos Alcaraz from Spain.
Gojowczyk is in New York without a trainer
In the previous round, the former Davis Cup player, who had fallen back in the world rankings after numerous injuries, defeated the favored Serb Dusan Lajovic in five sets. He had already surprised with his first round win against number 23 French Ugo Humbert, also in five rounds.
Gojowczyk’s best placement in the world rankings was 39th in 2018
Those: AFP / ELSA
“I have never lost my faith. I always have the feeling, when my body is fit, that I belong here too, ”Gojowczyk said after this success. He had traveled to New York without a coach, and in the first round he was extremely annoyed that the referee had mispronounced his name several times.
Greatest success besides the ATP title in Metz
Gojowczyk gave up the first set after 32 minutes against Laaksonen, but then came better and better into the game. In the Grandstand, the third largest stadium on the facility in Flushing Meadows, the Munich player started his service game with a double fault in the fourth set with a 5: 4 lead.
But then he fended off two breakballs and continued to play courageously and with strong nerves. After a little over two hours, he was able to celebrate his greatest success alongside the 2017 ATP title in Metz and the successful Davis Cup appearance in France in 2014.
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