Alejandro Falla battles past Axel Michon into the final eight – Medellin Challenger 2011
Top seeded local and wildcard entrant, Alejandro Falla bounced back from a set down to do away with Frenchman Axel Michon in the second round of the 2011 Seguros Bolivar Open, an ATP Challenger event, in Medellin, Colombia on Thursday,
3rd November. The pair toiled for two hours and twenty five minutes before Falla moved into the final eight with a 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 win over the Frenchman.
This was the pair’s first meeting of their career. Falla barely edged into a lead in the series after what seemed like could have easily been an upset victory for the Frenchman.
Opening serve, Michon destroyed the local despite the crowd support for his opponent. Rushing to an early lead in the first set, Michon registered three games to none. Although Falla tried to break back in the fifth game pushing
the game to five deuces, the Frenchman was ultimately able to save the breakpoint as he maintained his lead. Breaking his opponent once more in the sixth game, Falla served out the set at 5-1 to clinch a breadstick win for himself going one up in the set score.
Despite double faulting thrice, Michon registered an impressive 74 percent win on his first serve as he clinched a total of 28 of 47 points to take the lead.
Down but not out, Falla fought back hard in the second set. Falla opened serve and won his second game of the match. Breaking his opponent in the second game, the local took a 2-0 lead. However, his opponent broke back immediately
bringing the set score to even terms. At three games each, the pair exchanged four breakpoints between them bringing the eventual score to five games each. Holding serve in the eleventh game, Falla broke the Frenchman in the twelfth game to clinch a 7-5 victory,
bringing the set score to even terms.
A set win a piece forced the match into the deciding set. The final set of the match was the most closely fought affair of the whole clash. Neither of the two would let up nor were they successful in securing a lead. With the scoreboard
progressed on even terms, the pair was tied at five games each. Once more employing the serve-n-break technique, Falla was able to secure another 7-5 victory, ensuring his survival at the event.
Falla now moves into the quarterfinal of the event where he will play Argentine Facundo Bagnis.
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