Andy Murray’s intended first round opponent American Jenson Brooksby pulled out just hours before they were due on court in Paris-Bercy, but lucky loser Dominik Koepfer saved seven match points to take his place in the second round.
The German dominated the first set breaking the former World No. 1’s serve twice in the first set and the Scot seemed out of sorts.
Koepfer looked to be cruising into the second round when he broke Murray’s opening serve in the second set.
However Murray wasn’t done yet and the Triple Slam winner turned up the heat breaking the World No. 58 to love as he served for the match to take the game into a deciding set.
The set went with serve until Murray missed two good opportunities to cash in on his first two match points and the match went into a tie-breaker.
Murray carelessly squandered five more match points and Koepfer gleefully accepted the invitation to wrap up the win at the second attempt.
After the match Koepfer said “I heard about it at 4 o’clock. I was about to go back to the hotel and then one of the ATP tour managers texted me, ‘Dom, you in? You’re playing against Andy Murray’,” Koepfer said.
“Honestly, I was a little nervous. I didn’t expect to play today, I was hoping that someone was going to pull out tomorrow.
“But a night match here in Paris, a lot of fans, they had an unbelievable crowd, the first time for me for a while. It’s been a great day. Unexpected, but it worked out and I’m happy.”
Koepfer will play either ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or qualifier Gianluca Mager in the next round.
Main photo:- Dominik Koepfer celebrates his win in Paris Bercy – by ATPTour.com
