2011 French Open: Mikhail Youzhny, Nikolay Davydenko advance to the second round
Mikhail Youzhny ousts Go Soeda 7-5, 6-2, 6-4
Russian number 1 Mikhail Youzhny, ranked thirteenth in the world, defeated world number 116 Go Soeda of Japan in straight sets 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 in the round of 128 of French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Monday. It took Youzhny
two hours and 22 minutes to oust his opponent in an evenly contest match.
The twelfth seed took the lead straight away as he broke Soeda in the very first game of the opening set and consolidated on it to go ahead 2-0. The Russian failed to serve out the set in the tenth game to level the score at 5-5.
However, Youzhny got another chance to serve out the match as he broke the Japanese again in the eleventh game, taking a 6-5 lead. The right-handed hit an ace at set point in the next game, claiming the first set 7-5.
Youzhny thrashed Soeda in the second set, breaking the Japanese twice to clinch the set 6-2. The Russian delivered 67 percent of the first deliveries and won 63 percent of the points on them in the second set.
The 28-year-old kept his opponent under pressure, breaking him in the seventh game of the third set and wining it 6-4. Youzhny fired a single ace and eleven winners in the third set.
The Russian is drawn to play Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin in the round of 64. Kukushkin defeated Daniel Brands of Germany in straight sets 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round.
Nikolay Davydenko beats Denis Gremelmayr 7-6(2), 6-1, 6-3
Joining Youzhny in the second round, compatriot Nikolay Davydenko cruised past world number 131 Denis Gremelmayr of Germany in straight sets 7-6(2), 6-1, 6-3 in just two hours and nine minutes.
None of the two players managed to break other’s serve in the first set, taking it to a tie-break. The Russian dominated the tie-break, losing just two points to win it 7-2. The right-handed fired two aces and 71 percent of the
first serves, capturing 79 percent of the points on them in the opening set.
Davydenko came thundering in the second set, breaking the German thrice and allowing him to win only one game to grab the set 6-1. The world number 30 converted three of the six break points he received and saved both break points
on his own serve in the second set.
The 29-year-old was broken early in the third set but bounced back, breaking his opponent twice to claim it 6-3. The Russian captured 54 percent of the receiving points and capitalized on two of the six break points he created
in the third set.
Davydenko will face qualifier, world number 227 Antonio Veic of Croatia in the second round. The Croatian reached the second round after his opponent Pablo Cuevas retired due to an injury, trailing 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 1-3 in the opening
round.
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