At the New York Open, Adrian Mannarino advanced 5-7(5), 7-5, 4-1 after the German Peter Gojowzcyk was forced to retire after five games in the second set. The Frenchman will now face Adrian Menendez Maceiras in the quarterfinals.
Gojowczyk squeezes through tight set
The German began proceedings on center court, holding serve to 15 as he got on board. Mannarino also held in his opening service game to restore parity for 1-1. Both players were comfortable on serve but the qualifier had lost just the one point in three games, looking the tougher to break down, 3-3.
Despite looking solid on serve, the German qualifier was left facing a breakpoint at 30-40 as he flashed a forehand wide. Gojowczyk would have no problem in saving the breakpoint to bring the game to deuce.
However, the Frenchman grabbed a second, and this time, forced an error to break for 4-3. Although he failed to press home his advantage and allowed the world number 63 to earn two break back points at 15-40 as he was peppered with forehand shots.
Gojowczyk at the first time of asking broke back before going on to hold serve to love to regain the lead at 4-5. The next three service games went with the server as a tiebreak ensued. Right from the off, the Frenchman looked in control but the German broke in the sixth game and never looked back, going on to seal the set on his third set point for a 6-7(5) lead.
Mannarino fights back to level the match
Mannarino began the second set by holding serve to 15. The world number 25 then grabbed his first break points of the set, two of them following a backhand error. A forehand error followed by a lucky net cord sent the game to deuce with both breakpoints being snuffed.
Gojowczyk then won the next two points to hold serve for the first time in this set at 1-1. He then put huge pressure on the number four seed by bringing up his first break point at 30-40. Though the German failed to capitalize, Mannarino would have to fight off another three break point chances before eventually holding to stay in the set at 2-1.
Gojowczyk for the first time in two games, held serve to stay level with the Frenchman at 2-2. The world number 63 would have a further two break points saved by the Frenchman as he looked to put the match beyond his opponent, 3-2. But Mannarino would also look to get back into the match by bringing up two more break point chances of his own.
However, Gojowczyk saved both and held to draw level at 3-3. For the first time in the set, both players gained a rhythm on serve with the next five games going with the server with the score at 6-5. A break/set point would arrive for Mannarino at 30-40 and at the first attempt, he wrapped up the set 7-5 to level.
German qualifier retires; Mannarino progresses
The German seemed to be struggling as took a match timeout after the second set. The Frenchman got off to a great start in the third by holding to love for 1-0. Despite not being at full fitness for the third set, Gojowczyk lost just one point on serve to hold for 1-1. Mannarino held and applied pressure to the German. Down 1-2, Gojowczyk played an error-filled game and found himself two break points behind at 15-40.
A forehand passing shot gave Mannarino the break and the 3-1 lead in the set. At the change of ends, the German took a second match timeout with a foot injury. Having the foot bandaged, the qualifier chose to carry on and with the Frenchman consolidating the break, the German qualifier could not continue and retired.