2010 AEGON Masters Tennis: Wednesday Evening Session Review
Champions continue to clash as play continues on Wednesday at the season finale event of the ATP Champions Tour. The legends are battling it out at the Royal Albert Hall where the AEGON Masters Tennis is underway.
Starting the evening session was the much-anticipated matchup of Brit Tim Henman and Croat Goran Ivanisevic. Recreating the fateful three-day semi final match of Wimbledon 2001, the players were greeted with a standing ovation
on the court. Nine years ago, Ivanisevic had ended Henman’s chance at a Grand Slam after defeating him in the semi final match. The Croat had gone on to win his only career Grand Slam title.
Henman made his debut in the Champions Tour on Tuesday when he met Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui in their opening match. Enjoying a straight set win over the Moroccan, Henman had moved to a 1-0 mark in the event. His mark was reduced
to 1-1 on Wednesday when he once again succumbed to Ivanisevic after a two-hour match.
Henman put up some fight in the first set keeping the score tied for eight games. However, the Croat finally caught a break in the ninth game and won the set 6-4 with two consecutive game wins. Entering the second set, the two
players were once again neck-to-neck. The score was tied for ten games. Henman broke service in the eleventh game and then serving for the twelfth game, he managed a 7-5 win in the second set. With one set win each, the match went into Champions’ Tiebreak.
Ivanisevic raced to an 8-5 lead in the tiebreak; however, Henman fought back trying to keep up. Ultimately, the Croat won the tiebreak 11-9.
Henman could not believe the quality of his opponent. While talking to the press he said,
“Goran’s serve in the first set was as good as anyone’s ever served against me, and I really mean that. It was phenomenal. I couldn’t get any read on it and he was just hitting the spots. If there were main Tour matches on this type of surface then that
serving would be good enough against anyone.”
Ivanisevic was pleased to play his old rival and friend once again. They were meeting for the first time since the 2001 Wimbledon match. A pleased Ivanisevic told the press, “I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed playing
tennis so much. Today I just felt great. It was great playing Tim again and I had a nice rhythm on my serve especially in the first set. I was serving great I was moving to the ball well and everything was working. I am even serving now faster than I ever
have before.”
Following this exhilarating and exciting match was that of American Todd Martin and Aussie Patrick “Pat” Cash. Though Todd Martin was playing his opening match in the event, Cash already sports a 0-1 mark in the event. Cash had
lost his opening match in straight sets to defending champion and compatriot, Patrick Rafter.
Awarded another defeat in straight sets, Cash moved to a 0-2 mark in the event. Martin won the match 6-4, 6-3 and will now face Rafter on Thursday. However, regardless of the result, with one win each both Rafter and Martin move
into the quarterfinals. Ivanisevic will now play El Aynaoui on Thursday. Should he win that match, both Ivanisevic and Henman will move into the quarterfinals.
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