Alejandro Falla overthrows top seed Xavier Malisse in 2nd round – Mons Challenger 2011
Alejandro Falla, Columbian world No.93, overpowered the top seed of the Mons Challenger 2011, Xavier Malisse, world No.48, in the 2nd round of the ATP Challenger tour on Thursday, 6th October. Playing at the Greenset
Grand Prix hard court, Belgium, the two fought out for an hour and 23 minutes before the 27-year-old Columbian pulled off winning in straight set, 6-1 and 7-5.
Playing for the 6th time head-to-head, the former world No.58, Falla, pulled off winning his 2nd against the astounding home player. Comparatively, the Columbian has won both the two matches played on indoor
hard court against the Belgian world No.48.
Anyhow, the match started off as Malisse won the service toss and served for the opener rolling down the scoreboard, 1-0. Following next with a win, Falla levelled up the scores and moved on to return to the top seed, 1-1. The
Columbian took charge early in the game as he broke the world No.48 with a startling backhand winner, 2-1.
With the scores now at 2-1, Falla served out the next game to lead the set 3-1. Hoping to cut the lead, Malisse, frustrated, served, however, could not hold on to his own defence. Breaking the local lad for the second time in the
set, Falla bombarded his rival to extend his lead to 4-1.
With two more sets required for the first set win, Falla went mind blowing. Serve-n-breaking next, the 27-year-old blistered the top seed with 2 straight games winning the set effortlessly, 6-1, and moved on to the second set.
Continuing with the second set, Falla took out the first game of set 2, however, the top seed followed this time and levelled up next. Trying to pull back the set scores, Malisse broke the world No.93 in game 3 to lead to set 2-1.
Extending his lead to 3-1, world No.48 extended his lead winning game 4.
However, the first round successor struck back as he served-n-broke the local lad winning game 5 and 6 to level up the scores at 3-3. Blistering away with another game win, game 7, Falla once again took the lead, however, Malisse
levelled up next, 4-4.
Winning a game each next, the two levelled up again at 5-5 before the world No.93 pulled off all the strings for the top over confident seed. Serving out game 11 and breaking game 12, Malisse got a beating of his life loosing the
set, 7-5, and the match in straight sets to a well differentiated challenger.
Through to the quarter-final, Falla now faces David Goffin to battle it out for the semis seat of the Mons Challenger 2011.
Tags: