Albert Montanes and Steve Darcis clear the second round – French Open 2011
World number 38, Albert Montanes of Spain rallied past his fellow compatriot, Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, in the second round of Roland Garros in Paris, France, on Wednesday. Montanes took three hours and ten minutes to settle the final
score at 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1, 6-2, to qualify for the third round of the second Grand Slam tournament of the year.
The all-Spanish affair was dominated by Montanes for most of the time, as he registered his 13th victory of the running ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) season. Montanes met Hidalgo earlier this year in Buenos
Aires, where he outplayed his fellow Spaniard in straight sets 6-1, 7-6(0). His second round victory over Hidalgo in the French Open improves his all-time head-to-head lead to 4-1, as he books a place in the third round of the prestigious Grand Slam.
Montanes’ 62 thudding winners and 13 aces were the moist dominant feature in his victory. He delivered just 54 per cent first serve on target but collected 49 out of 60 points on it, suffering just three break points from Hidalgo
in the entire matchup. Hidalgo spilled out 40 unforced errors, which include eight costly double faults and dropped his serve on eight different occasions.
The opening set was a hard fought one for Hidalgo, who clinched it in the tie breaker round to get one up in the contest. Rest of the game completely belonged to Montanes who cruised through it with the utmost ease. He took just
two hours to wrap up the last three sets to conclude victory and booked a berth in the next stage of the competition.
Montanes will square off against the world number 13, Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in the third round, as the Russian defeated Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan in straight sets 6-3, 7-5, 6-4, in the second round battle.
Steve Darcis of Belgium was the other player to qualify for the next round on the fourth day of Roland Garros, after he defeated Philipp Petzschner in the second round. He needed just one hour and fifty six minutes to wrap up straight
sets victory at 7-5, 6-4, 6-4, while breaking his opponent four times in the matchup.
The Belgian had t toil a bit in the opener but cruised through the later set with ease to book a date with world number nine, Gael Monfils of France in the next round of the French Open. Monfils was successful against the French
wildcard Guillaume Rufin, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3, in the second round of the mega event.
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