Lucas Pouille qualified for the quarter-finals of the Marseille Open 13
For the first time since the Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo ten months ago, Lucas Pouille has won two matches in a row on the main ATP circuit. After eliminating the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor (60th) in the first round of the Marseille Open 13 on Tuesday, he won Thursday evening against the Moldovan Radu Albot (97th) after saving a 2-0 ball against him in the third set ( 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 [2] in 2h21).
Lively in his movements, carried forward in almost all his strikes, with a certain impact on the opposing defense, the former world No. 10, today only 154th after long months of looking for the best, had a great during the first hour of this match.
A racket folded in half
At the start of the second set, at 6-3, 1-0, break against him, because he felt that Pouille, involved and full of good intentions, was pinching the match, Albot consoled himself by folding his racket, in rage. The stress relief had its effect, delayed, and from 6-3, 3-1, the Frenchman began to miss in addition to the Moldovan often forcing him to play the ball too much. He then cashed six games in a row, finding himself broken at the start of the third inning.
And now, Rublev!
Pouille had the merit of not giving up, regaining explosiveness and playing even better than at the start of the match, stringing together winning shots, until leading 4-1. In this disjointed match, Albot recovered at 4-4. Pouille got a match point at 5-4 but the Moldovan managed a nice serve-volley sequence. Finally, in the tie-break, Pouille did not hesitate and sped towards success without looking back, winning 7 points to 2.
“From 6-3, 3-1, I left the court a bit, but I managed to come back and it’s a great feeling”, a summary of the French on the court. It is he who will play a quarter-final on Friday, against the seeded n°2 of the tournament, the Russian Andrey Rublev (7th). With their sights set on the possibility of winning three games in a row on the main circuit for the first time since August… 2019.