First round matches continued at the Moselle Open as local Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu faced Dustin Brown. The German comfortably booked his place in round two with a 6-4, 6-2 win over the 34-year-old in less than an hour.
Brown comes from a break down to claim the opening set
With three games gone, Brown lead 2-1 and immediately put the Frenchman under pressure. At love-30, Brown fired a double-fault to gift Mathieu a triple break point chance. A backhand shank in the next point gave the Frenchman the first break of the set. However, the world number 68 then broke back after Mathieu netted a forehand. The world number 69 then threatened to break Brown. With the score at deuce, Mathieu hit a forehand winner crosscourt to set up a break point chance.
A good serve from Brown denied the Frenchman and from then on in Brown held serve and levelled the match at 3-3. The momentum then shifted the way of the German as he brought up a double break point opportunity after hitting a backhand winner. A double-fault from Mathieu gifted the break to the 31-year-old who then held his serve to love and consolidated for 5-3. Just two games later and Brown wrapped up the set with a comfortable hold of serve to love for 6-4.
Brown runs away with the second set; books spot in second round
The second set couldn't have started any better for the German. A forehand winner would bring up double break points. The Frenchman managed to save the first one but couldn't save the second as Brown broke. He then consolidated the break with an ace to go 2-0 up. Two service games later with the score at 3-1, Brown then came knocking on the door once more. The Frenchman fired a double-fault to hand Brown three break point opportunities.
Despite saving one break point, the 34-year-old couldn't stop Brown from going even further ahead at 4-1 as he hit a forehand winner. Mathieu then tried to cut the deficit, earning a break point of his own, the first in this set. An ace from Brown denied the local as he went on to hold to go 5-1 up. The 69th ranked player would earn just one more game as Brown hit a forehand down the line to claim victory. Wildcard Julien Benneteau is the German's opponent in the second round.
Key stats
Dustin Brown fired 15 aces and only three double-faults during the match. The German also won 74 percent of first serves and 50 percent of his second. He managed to save three from four break points and convert four from six (67 percent). Brown won 39 percent on his first return while winning 61 on second return points. The world number 68 won 66 percent of his total service points and 58 percent of total points en route to victory.