Week 3: Auckland [Altman], Sydney [Orlov], Kooyong [Špidlá], AOQ; Salinas [Langley]

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Salinas Challenger 1
1st Round - Salinas

It was a decent day for both halves of the former CWLand Republic in the first round of action at Salinas whilst the seeds in action in round 1 (9-16) survived relatively intact.

• Pierre Garcon faced a very tricky first round encounter against 10th seeded Swiss Victor Zsasz. In a match that set the round off with a bang, Zsasz was all over the inexperienced West CWLander in the first set, but showed some difficulty in converting the break points that came their way. That said, at the 8th break point chance, Zsasz finally converted one to take the first set 6 - 4. However, the match ignited in the 2nd set. Zsasz took an early break to put himself 2 - 0 up and Garcon surely out of the match. However, Garcon went on an incredible run of 8 straight games with some thumping hits from the base line and cunning use of spin. A shell-shocked Zsasz attempted to claw his way back into the game, but with the local crowd now behind him, Garcon prevailed 4 - 6, 6 - 2, 6 - 3.
• In the same section of the draw, Koal Kao came unstuck against Ecuadorian journeyman Miguel Molina. A semi finalist in Geneva last season, Molina proved too strong for the young multi-national, Kao. A decent first set effort from Kao came unstuck with a late break. He never got back into the match in the second and fell out 6 - 4, 6 - 2.
• Section 3 of the draw saw good wins for CWLanders. Firstly, Marcuss Deane followed a decent showing in Sao Paolo last week with a tougher than expected win against qualifier Mauro Santana. Santana pressed Deane in the first set with great mobility round the court. On two occasions, Deane thought he had the point only to see Santana slide to the ball and get the return in court. However, Deane dug deep just as the set was looking to head into a tie break. 40 - 15 to Santana. Santana chose the wrong time to miss his first serves though and Deane capitalised to take it to deuce. Pressing home the advantage, Deane took the set and pushed through his advantage in the 2nd set to progress 7 - 5, 6 - 3
• East CWLand's sole representative in the draw, Mat Mitchell had a much easier test against Wildcard Marcelo Ayovi. Ayovi was never in the hunt as a dominant Mitchell simply destroyed him 6 - 1, 6 - 1. A tougher challenge awaits in the next round though in 14th seed Rafael Fernando who also progressed with ease.
• Rick Langley faced Frenchman Benoit Rio in round one, and struggled early on with his own game. With his first serve percentage down to 38% in the first set, Langley looked in serious trouble of an early exit. Somehow, Rio failed to capitalise and the set went to a tie break. The break went with serve all the way, until a Rio double fault at the critical time handed the set to Langley on a plate. Langley's relief was palpable as he started to get his serve right to blow Rio away in the second. 7 - 6 (8 - 6), 6 - 1. 8th seeded Italian Pablo Scalforo is Langley's next opponent.
• Finally, Jason Lawley came unstuck in a decent showing against 15th seed Carlos Gonza. Lawley pushed Gonza hard in the first set, exchanging breaks with the much more experienced Colombian. However, Gonza managed a late break to take the set and the momentum. Lawley tried just as hard in the 2nd, but it seemed that Gonza had worked out his game somewhat and eased through 7 - 5, 6 - 3.

• Seeded players out: Victor Zsasz (10, SWI).

 

[Matteh]

Woo, first win of the season i think. (Doubles doesn't count)

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Woo, first win of the season i think. (Doubles doesn't count)

Certainly a bit of a turn around from the early exit in Sao Paolo.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Heineken Open II
2nd Round - Auckland (New Zealand)

Men's singles (Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)
Men's doubles (Draw)

• In perhaps the match of the day, sixth seed Heath Davis has survived a tight affair against Bulgaria's Ivan Genov to advance to the quarter finals in three sets. The consistent Bulgarian looked decent early, and despite dropping the first set came back strongly to take the second 6-4. But after a quarter final appearance in Doha, Genov seemed to struggle with the amount of tennis he's played recently and lost his intensity after being broken early. Davis now faces Luxembourg's Oliver Engel who pulled off a massive upset in his second round clash by defeating fourth seed Danijel Micic. The Serbian was one of the favourites to take the tournament, but was woeful against the Chennai semi finalist who won 6-2, 6-4.
• Joining Davis in the round of eight is seventh seed Jamee Hancianu who overcame a spirited performance from wildcard Sam Cunningham. Hancianu had it tough in the first round, and thrived early in the easier fixture against the world No. 234 as he took the first set 6-1. But the pusher style of Hancianu has been taken advantage of before, and Cunningham took the attack to him in the second as he snatched an early break of service. But the Kiwi struggled to keep the ball in play for a prolonged period, and was broken back as Hancianu took the match in a tiebreaker 6-1, 7-6(0).
• If the local crowd believed the Micic loss would be the upset of the round they were sorely mistaken as World No. 1 Jason Hall was shocked in straight sets by World No. 45 Atthaphol Sae-ul. The defending champion of Auckland was expected to pick up an easy win in his first match of the season, but in worrying signs for his Australian Open aspirations he was dealt with 6-4, 6-3 by the free-wheeling Sae-ul. Hall has since requested a second warm up match on Thursday at the AAMI Classic in Kooyong, with organisers searching for an opponent.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Jason Hall;
  
  Danijel Micic.

• Fourth seeds Jean-Alain Depuis & Björn Donaldson were beaten in straight sets in a tight affair by Illya Altman & Gregor Gorshkov 7-6(5), 7-6(7). Elsewhere, Jason Hall's woes continued as he and Jochen Sas were beaten 7-5, 6-0.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Jean-Alain Depuis &
  
  Björn Donaldson.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I would like to say the draw's just opened up for me, but Engel is still a tricky opponent... And getting trickier by the looks of a dominant win over Micic.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Medibank Sydney International II
2nd Round - Sydney (Australia)

Men's singles (Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)
Men's doubles (Draw)

• Eighth seed Jojo Mustard has overcome a shaky start in Sydney to come from a set down to beat local wildcard Adam Murray. The World No. 104 started brilliantly to take the first set 6-4 and left Mustard on shaky ground following his first round exit in Sydney. But he managed to bounce back, and after claiming a first break of service in the first game of the second set raced on to take it 6-1. The Aussie wasn't done with yet, but blew three break point opportunities early in the third. He found out the hard way how many opportunities one gets against top 100 players and quickly fell away as Mustard won 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. Next up he faces rival Henry Charles who ensured he would not suffer the same sort of humiliating defeat as he did in Queensland; thrashing Pascal Schmidt with some solid tennis 6-1, 6-2.
• The poor form of Diego Hurtado continued in his second round clash as he runs out of opportunities for match practice ahead of next week's Open. After falling first round in his title defence in Brisbane, Hurtado gave up a set-to-love lead against American Wayne Boyd to fall 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. There's also trouble afoot for Australia's best chance at Melbourne Park as David Champion was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Russia's David Champion.

• Seeded players out:
  
  David Champion;
  
  Diego Hurtado.

• Makeshift pair Spas Delev & Jojo Mustard have survived a gruelling three-set affair against fourth seeds Carlos Machado & Dênis Rodrígues to advance to the second round. In a see-sawing affair, the two teams played fine tennis with Delev, the lowest ranked of the players, looking right at home in the tooth-and-nail action. Ultimately, after giving up three match points in the match tiebreaker, the CWLanders finally pulled through to secure a 7-6(3), 4-6, (12-10) victory.
• They won't face Randy Banks & David Champion following their loss to Jason Bradley & Roberto Santos. The new duo looked in good touch as they broke four times throughout the match to pick up a 6-3, 6-4 as the wildcards struggled to string some consistency together.
• Elsewhere, third seeds Gai Kai & Lu Xun were beaten by American brothers Eric & Rick Henson in their first match together in nearly six months, whilst Brisbane finalists Morton Blundell & Wayne Boyd could not back up their performance up north as they exited first up in Sydney 7-6(9), 6-1 against Andrej Konc & Evgeniy Maximov.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Gai Kai &
  
  Lu Xun.

 

[Johnners]

Quality, always feels good to knock out a seeded opponent.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

AAMI Classic Field Finalised

The eight-man field for the 2010 AAMI Classic assembled at Kooyong today for the annual players’ media conference.

The final line-up is as follows:
RADEK ŠPIDLÁ (CZE - 3) vs. RANDY SMELTZ (CDR - 17)
CARLO AMATO (ITA - 19) vs. DWAYNE MURDOCH (USA - 10)
RASMUS OLESEN (DEN - 8) vs. JUAN MORENO (ARG - 13)
TIAGO MATÍAS (POR - 24) vs. JÓZSEF BOROS (HUN - 7)

World No. 1 Jason Hall will play the last match on Thursday outside of the format. His opponent is World No. 26 Diego Hurtado of Colombia.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Disappointing that they want to help Hall get some form, to be fair

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

For Davis, better in Kooyong than Auckland.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

For Davis, better in Kooyong than Auckland.

Indeed, but nowhere would be better!

 

[Marcuss]

Happy to make it into the next round, hoping to go one or more better than Sao Paulo

 

[Mister Wright]

Great to get through to the QFs and get two consecutive wins. Feels good.

Also, good to get a win in the doubles, although the match could have taken a bit out of Mustard for the next singles game. Good to get out of the 3rd set tiebreaker. There always tough. Trust me!

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Indeed, but nowhere would be better!

Naah, let him lose more and shatter his confidence a bit.

 

[Luffers]

Why wasn't I playing in Salinas??

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Gaahhh sorry mate. I won't forget you for the Challenger next week.

 

[Paid The Umpire]

38% that is an awful stat to read... but a win is a win.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Salinas Challenger 1
2nd Round - Salinas

It was an excellent day for the CWLanders as they came up against seeded opposition in Ecuador.

• Pierre Garcon came up against local no-named wildcard, Ricardo Andrade. Andrade had not been in proper competitive action since Manta in Season 1, and had suffered in a close encounter against Yves Lefevre in round 1. Garcon had faced a tough 1st round match too, and as such the early exchanges were cagey. Garcon's class shone through, however as he eased two breaks out of the Ecuadorian towards the end of a dominant first set. However, a call for the trainer in the set break and the awakening of a partizan local crowd saw Andrade pull himself back from the brink in the 2nd set. In a reversal of fortune, Andrade was suddenly returning shots from Garcon that had won him points in the first. Garcon had no answer and the match was quickly level. The 3rd set was close, typified by some baseline battles. However, the local crowd erupted when Andrade earned a break point at 5 - 5. Andrade duly converted and emerged victorious in an incredible comeback 2 - 6, 6 - 2, 7 - 5.
• Marcuss Deane faced a tricky match against 12th seed Felipe Pelayo from Mexico. Deane's form from Sao Paolo had deserted him somewhat in the 1st round in Salinas, whilst Pelayo had faced no trouble overcoming local wildcard Xavier Caicado 6 - 0, 6 - 0 in round 1. However, Pelayo soon realised that Deane would be no pushover as Deane took an early opportunity to steal a break on a poor Pelayo service game. In fact, although Deane only took one break in the first, Pelayo struggled to make any inroads on the Deane serve, only taking 7 points off him in the first. It was a surprise, therefore, when Deane lost his first 2 service games in the 2nd. Deane looked short of ideas as the game headed into a decider, and again struggled on his serve early on. Pelayo stole an early break, but then suffered a shocking service game where he failed to land a single first serve and scored 2 double faults. Deane duly converted the 2nd of two break points to level the match. Pelayo's nerve suddenly broke and he lost a successive service game to collapse 6 - 2, 2 - 6, 6 - 4.
• Mat Mitchell had an incredible game against 14th seed Rafael Fernando. Whilst the game went to a 3rd set, Mitchell dominated the Spaniard. The first set was a long slog out that went to a tie break, but 4 of Fernando's service games went to deuce. Fernando stole the breaker from under Mitchell - who, at one point led 5 - 1. However, if that was the cue for Mitchell to collapse, he came back doubly strong in the 2nd. Where Mitchell had taken Fernando to deuce in the 1st set, in the 2nd he didn't give Fernando a chance on either player's serve. Mitchell took two Fernando service games to love. The third set was much of the same, with Fernando only holding his serve one he'd already lost 2 of his own games. Mitchell progress 7 - 6 (7 - 5), 6 - 0, 6 - 2.
• Finally Rick Langley faced 8th seed Pablo Scalforo and emerged with a victory in a tough 3 hour work out. With neither player convinced on attacking the net, a number of rallies went on for a number of minutes. Langley's faltering serve from the first round didn't take to the court in the first set, as Scalforo struggled to make headway against a pin-point accurate first service. Scalforo grew increasingly irate as he struggled to return the Langley serve. With a disputed net call in a Scalforo service game stoking the flames, he blew up at the umpire and is bound to see himself hauled in front of the beak after the match. This also cost him a service game and the first set. At the next drinks break, Scalforo calmed down and recovered his nerve. This coincided with a poor period of play from Langley, whose first serve suddenly deserted him. The third set was a tough slog, however, with both players seeming unwilling to take the risks needed to win a point. Scalforo's first service game went to 8 deuces, but Langley didn't earn a single break point. The game took 14 minutes. With both players visibly tiring, it was Langley who took the initiative and stole a break from Scalforo to win 6 - 4, 2 - 6, 7 - 5. Langley will face a tough game and will need to overcome fatigue in the 3rd round to defeat 11th seed Christopher Durand of France.
  

• Seeded players out: Massimo Prodi (7, ITA), Pablo Scalforo (8, ITA), Felipe Pelayo (12, MEX), Sipko Wetzel (13, NED), Rafael Fernando (14, ESP), Carlos Gonza (15, COL).

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Salinas Challenger 1
1st round - Doubles - Salinas

• Koal Kao & Mat Mitchell enjoyed a hard fought win against Colombians Carlos Gonza and Johan Ortiz. In what will be a tiring challenge for Mitchell, both sets and the tie breaker going the full distance. As it was, Gonza and Ortiz stole the only break of the match on Kao's first service game. That was enough to take the first set 6 - 4. The second went the whole way to a tie break. With the Gonza and Ortiz up 6 - 3 in the breaker, Kao & Mitchell looked down and out. However, a run of 5 points - featuring some tenacious play from Kao earned the CWLanders from opposing sides of the fence the 2nd set. The match breaker was again a close run battle, this time with the points going one way and then the other. The Colombians fought back from 4 - 0 down to 7 - 4 up, only to see momentum swing back to give the CWLanders the lead at 8 - 7. The Colombians couldn't fight back again and the CWLanders won 4 - 6, 7 - 6 (8 - 6), [10 - 8]
• Makeshift pairing Ninteh Doh & Rick Langley had an easier win in straight sets against Massimo Prodi and Pablo Scalforo. Scalforo will not want to face Langley again in the next few weeks, as following their brutal singles encounter earlier in the day; the Italian duo who'd have been expecting decent singles progress found themselves back on the plane out of Ecuador with Doh & Langley progressing with ease 6 - 4, 6 - 3.
  

• Seeded players out: Acosta & Castro (1, URU), Muller & Zander (2, GER) .

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Heineken Open II
Quarter Finals - Auckland (New Zealand)

Men's singles (Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)
Men's doubles (Draw)

• Kiwi-born Heath Davis has captured quite a following in Auckland following the lack of real New Zealanders still in the running, and will continue on to Friday following his come-from-behind win over Oliver Engel. Engel, who made the semi finals last week in Chennai, started strongly, and as one of the few men on tour capable of overpowering Davis he looked in ominous form as he took the first set 6-4. But after the Luxembourg No. 1 intimidated with his big serving in the first set, the 6'8" giant was thwarted in the second as his powerful serve failed to find its mark. Davis, meanwhile, was clinical as he slotted home break points and continued to press on his own service to level the match at a set each. The third was the closest yet, and the two giants traded blows right throughout the set before Davis, coming from 3-5 down, broke twice in a row to surge into the semis 4-6, 6-2, 7-5. Next up is second seed and World No. 9 Illya Altman who easily disposed of Sanchez Emelio 6-2, 6-4.
• Same old, same old seemed to be the story of the day for Jamee Hancianu as after building up some impressive form over the last couple of games he threw it all away in a straight sets thrashing at the hands of Almen Benaglio. The Swiss third seed came into the match as slight favourite, but quickly set about hurting Hancianu on the scoreboard as he took the first set 6-2. Hancianu started the second more promisingly as he took advantage of a rare break point to be ahead 1-0, but fell away sharply as he was broken back straight away to love. He didn't threaten again, and Benaglio set up a semi final showdown with Antonio Bachunelli 6-4, 7-5.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Sanchez Emelio;
  
  Jamee Hancianu.

• Israeli top seeds Tal Cohen & Raz Teper have suffered a shock loss in the quarter finals of the doubles draw as they were beaten by unseeded Uzbek pair Denis Inomov & Rustam Toshpulatov. In the upset of the day, the unseeded pair were too good for the Doha champs 6-4, 7-6(6). Their opponents in the semi finals will be makeshift East European pair Illya Altman & Gregor Gorshkov who eased past Christophe Norman & Björn Tol.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Tal Cohen &
  
  Raz Teper.