Tennis: Philipp Petzschner in no mood for analysis

HOME players enjoyed a day of great success at the German Open in Hamburg yesterday, with one notable exception - Philipp Petzschner, who refused to give straight answers to reporters about his defeat to Turkish qualifier Marsel Ilhan, instead offering bizarre replies about the city's football team.

While several of his countrymen advanced in style, German Davis Cup player Petzschner stunned reporters with off-the-wall answers to questions about the match. Asked to comment on Ilhan's unexpected 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) victory, Petzschner replied, "I hope that HSV reaches the Europa League this season."

When asked to describe how he managed to double-fault on match point, Petzschner again referred to Bundesliga football club SV Hamburg, saying they had acquired good new players.

Petzschner has been under intense fire for a lacklustre performance in Germany's Davis Cup loss to France and for three straight first-round losses in recent months.

German wild card Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, meanwhile, upset former world No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain 6-3, 6-2 in the first round. Another German wild card, Tobias Kamke, beat seventh-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 6-1, 6-4 in the second round.