Former ATP Newcomer of the Year Tobias Kamke has started 2012 in the best possible fashion, with a win over Australian Greg Jones.
The German right-hander, 25, won their second-round qualifying match in straight sets at Brisbane International 2012 on Sunday.
The victory proved Kamke’s not overawed by playing Australians on their home turf, given he overcame Scott Puodziunas in the first round of qualifying on Saturday.
“It was my second match of the year after a break of six weeks and I’m really satisfied, I did a lot of things very good,” Kamke said.
Sunday’s match began with both players trading serve until Kamke, currently ranked 96 in the world, broke serve in the fifth game of the first set.
With his backhand from then on consistently firing, Kamke sealed the first set 6-3 before toiling hard in warm conditions to secure the second set 6-4.
“It’s like 27 or 28 degrees, which is about 25 more degrees than I have in Germany at this time, but I feel OK and fit because I had a good off-season,” he laughed.
“It’s always tough to play [Greg Jones] he serves very well, has a dangerous game from the baseline and plays pretty fast and flat so you have to be focused all the time.
“He’s a good player and he has a lot of chances to raise his ranking.”
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With one match to win before earning a spot in the main draw, Kamke identified certain areas of his game that need to improve if he’s to qualify and achieve his 2012 goals.
“I can improve the whole rhythm of my game because after six weeks it’s tough, you need two or three matches to find your rhythm,” he said.
“With my 2012 goals, I hope I can improve my ranking to break into the top 50.”
Kamke, a former ATP World Tour Newcomer of the Year, returns to the Brisbane International courts on Monday when he will play eighth-seeded American Jesse Levine for a place in the main draw.