2011 Australian Open: Marin Cilic and Jurgen Melzer move ahead without dropping a set
After a semi-final run at the event last year, Croat Marin Cilic returns to the Australian Open this week hoping to go one step further. Off to a strong start, Cilic alongside
other seeds moved ahead without facing much hurdles in their opening encounters.
The Croat got off to disappointing start in 2011 as he returned to Aircel Chennai Open for the fourth straight year to defend his back to back titles at the event. However,
defeated by the rising Japanese star Kei Nishikori, Cilic was forced out of the event in the first round. Not having participated at any event since, Cilic has been hitting the courts for the past two weeks in preparation for the Grand Slam.
Seeded fifteenth in the event, Cilic started his title run at the event against qualifier Donald Young. Seeded fifteenth in the qualifying draw, Young had gained acceptance
in the main draw after defeating Izak van der Merwe in straight sets.
Meeting the young American for the first time, Cilic maintained his dominance from the start, denying the former more and more games from the start. Having broken serve
once, Cilic secured a 6-3 victory in the first set before clinching a 6-2 win in the second. Wrapping up the match in almost ninety minutes, Cilic dismissed Young with a breadstick win in the third set.
Cilic moves into the next round to play either Santiago Giraldo or Rui Machado.
Joining Cilic in the second round is another top fifteen seed, Austrian ace Jurgen Melzer. Coming from a semis run at the exhibition event in Kooyong last week, eleventh
seed Melzer started his title run at the event against qualifier Vincent Millot. The latter moved into the main draw after dismissing Canadian Peter Polansky in straight sets.
In their first ever meeting on the courts, Melzer dismissed the French in straight sets rushing to the lead. Securing a 6-2 win in the first set, Melzer dropped a few games
in the second set to battle towards a 6-4 win. The Austrian clinched another 6-2 win in the third set dismissing the French in about seventy five minutes, ensuring his straight sets victory.
Melzer sails into the second round to meet either wildcard entrant Carsten Ball or Spaniard Pere Riba.
Also moving ahead in the next round are two Spaniards Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Feliciano Lopez.
Thirty second seed, Garcia-Lopez battled past Michael Berrer, dropping only one set. Prevailing 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 Garcia-Lopez sets up a second round clash with Eduardo
Schwank. The latter moved ahead after an all-Argentinean clash with Leonardo Mayer.
The “other” Lopez, seeded thirty first in the event, met Alejandro Falla in their opening clash of the event. Having met once before in the Challenger Tour where Falla had
been victorious, Lopez returned the favour, dismissing the Colombian in straight sets. The score line was 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-3. Lopez will next meet wildcard entrant Bernand Tomic in the second round.
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