For V.Gaub, the tournament in Austria ended after the first round

19-year-old remains winless at ATP Challenger Series Danube Upper Austria Open men’s tennis tournament in Austria Vilius Gaubas (ATP-285). He in the first round on Tuesday in 1 hour 24 minutes 0:6, 6:7 (0:7) lost to the sixth racket of the tournament to the 31-year-old Slovak to Jozef Kovalik (ATP-160).

The first set was nightmarish for V. Gaub – in just 19 minutes, the Lithuanian got a “roll”. With points, the Lithuanian lost this set by 6:24.

V.Gaubas broke the “dry” streak only in the second game of the second set, even though he was 0:40 behind during his serves. After leveling the score, the Lithuanian suddenly took the initiative when he won the opponent’s service series in the third game. Unfortunately, in the fourth game, the Lithuanian “dryly” lost his serving series, so he did not enjoy the advantage for long. Later, the even fight continued until the eighth game, when V. Gaubas fell behind 15:40, and J. Kovalikas realized a “break point” in the second attempt. Having found himself on the edge of the precipice, V.Gaubas did not give up and, having nowhere to retreat, won the opponent’s series of serves (4:5).

In the eleventh game, V.Gaubas won another series of servings of his opponent (6:5), but later he was unable to complete the set with his servings and had to play overtime. Unfortunately, he remembered that fateful first set – V.Gaubas did not score a single point, and after the match he vented his sporting anger by kicking rackets.

Match statistics:

These tennis players have not played against each other before. J. Kovalikas has competed twice (in 2014 and 2016) against Richard Berankis – the Lithuanian won both those matches.

Back in 2010 at the Youth Olympics J. Kovalikas with Philip Horansky won the doubles bronze. Slovak in the ATP singles ranking in 2018. had risen to 80th place. J. Kovalikas has already won 17 professional singles tournaments: 9 – ITF and 8 – ATP “Challenger”. J. Kovalikas can also boast that in 2017 beat the Croatian tennis star Marina Cilicius.

This season is going well for the Slovak. March 24 J. Kovalikas won the ATP “Challenger” tournament in Zadar (Croatia), and on April 14 triumphed in another tournament of this level in Split (Croatia). Later, a couple of ATP Challenger tournaments in Portugal and Italy did not go well for him.

V.Gaub received 1,200 euros.

V.Gaubas directly entered the main stage of this tournament by using the new rule. According to it, 20-year-old and younger tennis players who are in the 350th place in the ATP ranking will be able to receive 8 invitations to the main stages of high-ranking “Challenger” tournaments (100/125). The tournament in Austria is precisely the “Challenger 100” category. If not for this clause, V.Gaub would have had to start from the qualification.

The prize fund of the ATP “Challenger” series men’s tennis tournament in Austria consists of 120.95 thousand. euros.