2011 Heineken Open: Bobby Reynolds amongst four to qualify for main draw
Having finished with the 2011 Brisbane International, tennis players have now skipped across the “pond” (so to speak to) to play at Auckland. The capital of New Zealand hosts the 2011 Heineken Open, an ATP 250 event played on the hard courts and is a predecessor
to the Australian Open.
In a surprising turn of events, despite the overwhelming local support Kiwis continued to fall left right centre in the qualifying draw failing to make it to the main draw.
Kicking off the play for Monday were the eight qualifying finalists, playing for the four positions remaining in the main draw.
First up was fourth seed French Adrian Mannarino as he played the fifth seed Brian Dabul. Mannarino had started his run in the qualifying round playing local wild card entrant Marcus Daniell. Enjoying a 6-3 victory in the opener, Mannarino moved ahead in
the second round with a bagel set win in the second set. The French then moved on to meet Russian Evgeny Donskoy. Playing a three setter with the Russian, Mannarino was finally able to clinch victory after winning the deciding tiebreak 7-3. Dabul, on the other
hand, also started his run at the event meeting and defeating a local wildcard entrant. Dabul met Philip Bester in his second round clash. Defeating Bester in straight, yet not so simple sets, Dabul was able to reach the qualifying finals.
In a match that lasted for seventy minutes, Mannarino served fourteen aces, had three of Dabul’s double faults play to his advantage and lost only 22 of 62 points to clinch a 6-2, 6-3 victory. Mannarino now enters the main draw to meet fifth seed Juan Monaco.
Next up on the courts were Spaniard Pere Riba and local Jose Statham. Statham moved into the qualifying finals brushing aside Riba’s compatriot Guillermo Olaso and receiving a walk over against the seventh seed Ryan Sweeting when the latter pulled out of
the event due to a hamstring injury. Seeded third in the draw, Riba had moved into the qualifying finals after defeating Aussie James Lemke and then Russian Raven Klaasen. Being the only remaining local, Statham enjoyed much of the crowd support however; Riba
was able to overcome these odds. Bouncing back from one set down, Riba served seven aces and lost only 23 of 83 points on service, to clinch a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory in one hour and forty eight minutes. With this, he moves in the main draw to meet Tobias Kamke.
Following Riba in the main draw was sixth seed Michael Russell. He defeated Dusen Lojda in their opening clash and then received a walkover in the second round to setup a qualifying final clash with French Ludovic Walter. Winning the opener, Russell continued
his form into the second set to wrap the match up with 6-3, 6-4 victory. Russell’s opening match in the draw will be against seventh seed Thomas Bellucci.
Closing the qualifying round for the day was the unseeded battle between Bobby Reynolds and Marcos Crugnola. Serving five aces and losing only twelve of 49 points on service, Reynolds was able to secure a 6-3, 6-2 victory in sixty three minutes. Reynolds
moves on to meet Marcel Granollers in the main draw.
These four players alongside the rest of the 28 players will continue playing in the main draw on Tuesday.
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