Adrian Menendez-MacEiras strains past Marin Bradaric in second qualifiers – Croatia Open Umag 2012
Fourth seeded Spaniard, Adrian Manendez-MacEiras, had to go through a three-setter before winning his second round qualifier against the unseeded Croatian, Marin Bradaric, at the ATP VEGETA Croatia Open Umag on Sunday. It took
him almost two hours to settle the contest at 6-4, 1-6, 7-5, advancing into the qualifying competition of the ATP World Tour 250 event in Umag, Croatia.
Being played on clay, the contest witnessed both men throwing their best at each other to get the upper hand. Menendez-MacEiras had to bring out his best to fade away the heavy resistance from the Croatian opponent. He won the
opening set early to get the upper hand but a huge momentum swing was witnessed in the following set, with Bradaric coming out all guns blazing and registering a breadstick to level the sets score at 1-1. His cameo didn’t last in the final set but he stretched
the set to 12 games before he finally crumbled at 5-7 to lose the match.
The overall match statistics clearly depict a fierce battle being contested between the two contestants. They both struck four aces and two serve breaks apiece in the contest, with Menendez-MacEiras winning 33 and Bradaric securing
34 first serve points. It was the Spaniard’s crucial points winning proficiency which took him through to victory.
The opening set witnessed a conventional start to the match, with no break points being registered in the opening eight games to take the scoreboard to 4-4. Menendez-MacEiras finally drew first blood in the ninth game and then
served out of the set convincingly at 5-4.
Furious Bradaric made an explosive start in the following set and broke his opponent twice in succession to fly away to an invincible 5-0 lead. Menendez-MacEiras couldn’t do much in the second set and quickly gifted it to the Croatian
at 1-6. However, he didn’t drop his serve in the final set and dragged the scores to 6-5 in his favour. The Spaniard delivered the decisive blow in the 12th game of the set and closed out his hard-fought victory at 7-5, inching a step closer to
the main rounds of the Croatia Open Umag.
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