2010 BNP Paribas Masters: Monday Evening Session Singles Review
Four professionals moved into the second round at the end of the morning session at the 2010 BNP Paribas Masters. These were Finnish Jarkko Nieminen moving past Belgian Xavier Malisse; German Benjamin Becker defeating Uzbek Denis
Istomin; Italian Fabio Fognini humiliating German Michael Berrer and local Arnaud Clement managing a tight win over Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. The evening session had five more professionals joining these four in the second round.
Another French to make it to the second round was world number thirty-four Michael Llodra. This 30-year-old professional met Italian Potito Starace in their opening round clash. Starace showed some resistance in the first set keeping
the set score leveled at 4-4; however, Llodra caught a break to win the first set 6-4. Llodra went on to humiliate Starace with a breadstick in the second set. The final match score was 6-4, 6-1. Llodra served seven aces and lost only seventeen points on service
in the entire match to sail into the second round where he faces sixteenth seed, American, John Isner.
Lucky loser American Michael Russell gained acceptance into the main draw after world number one, Spaniard Rafael Nadal pulled out due to a tendinitis in his left shoulder. His journey into the main draw was short lived since he
exited after losing his first round match against Czech Radek Stepanek. Stepanek humiliated Russell with a 6-2, 6-0 win over him. Stepanek served eight aces and lost only six points on service in the entire match; mixing that with the five double faults committed
by the American, Stepanek was able to secure an easy win for himself in forty-nine minutes. He goes on to face Spaniard Nicolas Almagro.
It was another win for the qualifiers when Colombian qualifier Santiago Giraldo outlasted Dutch Thiemo de Bakker. In a three-setter clash that lasted for two hours and fifty minutes, Giraldo managed to tire out de Bakker and ensured
a win for himself. Giraldo lost the first set in tiebreaker at (3)6-7. However, he broke back in the second set winning it 6-4. In the decider, even though de Bakker served eight aces Giraldo managed to maintain his form. He lost only eleven points on service
and caught a lucky break at 5-5 to win the set 7-5 and in effect the match. Giraldo moves into the second round to meet Austrian phenomenon Jurgen Melzer.
The first French to fall out of the event was wild card entrant Nicolas Mahut when he was pitted against compatriot, Richard Gasquet. In a match that lasted for two hours and twenty-seven minutes, both professionals went high and
low in their scores as they tried to get one over their opponents. Since both enjoyed the home court advantage, it really came down to talent and luck, which Gasquet seems to have a tad bit more than his compatriot did. In a three-setter clash, Gasquet managed
a tight win over Mahut with a score of 7-5, 4-6, (9)7-6(7). Gasquet’s stay in the main draw might be short lived as he goes on to face the Swiss legend Roger Federer.
The last matchup of the day was between Swiss number two, Stanislas Wawrinka and local qualifier Josselin Ouanna. Wawrinka served nine aces and lost only sixteen points on service to move past Ouanna into the second round. Wawrinka
moves ahead with a straight set win of 6-3, 7-5. He goes on to face another local, the marvel Ivan Ljubicic.
Pitted against top seeds in the second round, these winners of today might exit the event in the second round.
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