Alejandro Falla, Jurgen Zopp advance in qualifying draw – If Stockholm Open 2011
Seeded at number one in the qualifying draw, world number 85, Alejandro Falla of Colombia, went through a rough battle with Inigo Cervantes-Huegun of Spain before outplaying him in the second round qualies of the If Stockholm Open on Sunday afternoon.
The contest was played on the indoor hard courts of Stockholm, Sweden, with the Colombian contestant moving one step closer to the main rounds of the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour 250 event.
Falla took two hours to conclude the matchup in three sets, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, moving in to the final round of the qualifiers. The Spaniard fought valiantly in the matchup but his overall game play proved too bleak for containing the 27-year-old Colombian veteran. Cervantes-Huegun dropped the opening set very early in the contest but regrouped in the next one to bring his opponent back on even terms. He lost his way again in the final set and was forced to submit the matchup to Falla, letting him to the qualifying competition of the tournament.
Cervantes-Huegun bettered Falla in a number of segments of the game but some crushing break point conversions from the Colombian proved to be the only differentiating factor in the contest. Falla’s 28 first serve points were replied by 39 points from the Spaniard, who belted eight aces and four double faults in the game. Cervantes-Huegun registered three serve breaks in the matchup, while Falla came up with four out of 15 break points to register a convincing victory in the end.
Falla needs one more victory to make it to the main rounds of the tournament and he has to go through the unseeded Estonian opponent, Jurgen Zopp, in his next encounter to make it. Zopp won his second round clash against the unseeded Finn competitor, Harri Heliovaara, in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, to book a matchup with Falla.
The 23-year-old Estonian didn’t face any serious challenge from his opponent in the competition and cruised to victory with ease. He delivered 64 per cent of his serve on target and secured 29 out of 41 first serve points in the matchup to come out as the winner. Zopp converted three out of his five break opportunities in the match and suffered just one break point from Heliovaara in the entire contest to move into the qualifying competition in an assertive fashion.
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