2011 French Open: Robin Haase, Pablo Andujar through to the second round
Robin Haase defeats Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-2, 7-6(3), 6-3
World number 54 Robin Haase of Netherlands downed world number 55 Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain in straight sets 6-2, 7-6(3), 6-3 in the opening round of French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Tuesday. The match lasted for just
an hour and 55 minutes.
Haase dominated from the start of the match as he broke Gimeno-Traver in the very first game of the opening set and held his next service game to lead 2-0. The Dutch broke again in the fifth game and consolidated on it, winning
the set 6-2.
Haase and Gimeno-Traver broke each other once in the second set, taking it to a tie-break. The Dutch bagged three mini-breaks in the tie-break, clinching it 7-3. The 24-year-old served brilliantly, keeping his first serve percentage
at 83 percent and winning 76 percent of the points on the first serve in the second set.
With the winning momentum on his side, the right-handed needed a single break of serve in the third set to claim it 6-3. Haase fired three aces and five winners in the third set. Gimeno-Traver had a low first serve percentage as
he delivered a meagre 42 percent of the first serves in the third set.
The Dutch will play American Mardy Fish, placed at 10th spot in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings, in the second round.
Pablo Andujar beats Santiago Giraldo 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-3
Spaniard Pablo Andujar, ranked 48th in the world, knocked out Columbian Santiago Giraldo, ranked 63rd in the world, in straight sets 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-3 to qualify for the second round. The Spaniard took two
hours and 36 minutes to oust his opponent.
Andujar and Giraldo exchanged a single break of serve in the first twelve games of the opening set, equalising the score at 6-6 to force a tie-break. The 25-year-old managed to claim a late mini-break in the tie-break, capturing
it 7-5.
After winning a close first set, the Spaniard did not face much resistance as he broke the Columbian in the sixth game of the second set and capitalized on it to clinch the set 6-3. The right-handed troubled his opponent with attacking
return of serves, winning 48 percent of the return points in the second set.
Andujar took an early lead in the third set, breaking Giraldo in the second game for a 3-0 lead. The Spaniard broke again in the eighth game and served out the set at 5-3. The five feet and eleven inches tall committed just four
unforced errors compared to twelve by Giraldo. Andujar capitalized on two of the three break point opportunities he created on Giraldo’s serve and saved all the three break points on his own serve in the third set.
The Valencia resident is drawn to meet world number 1, compatriot Rafael Nadal in the second round.
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