Alexander Dolgopolov ousts Frederico Gil in the opening round – US Open 2011
Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov, seeded 22nd at the event, defeated world number 106 Frederico Gil of Portugal in straight sets 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 in the first round at the US Open in New York on Monday. The match lasted for one hour and 58 minutes.
Dolgopolov broke the Portuguese in the third game of the opening set and consolidated on it, taking a 3-1 lead. The Ukrainian did not drop his serve throughout the set, clinching all five of his service games to win the set 6-4.
The 22-year-old did not have an impressive first serve percentage as he delivered just 48 percent of the first serves in the first set. However, he managed to deliver three aces and win twelve of the fifteen first service points in the opening set. On the
other hand, Gil had a better first serve percentage but he failed to hit any ace and won just fourteen of the 21 points on them. The Portuguese did not hit any winner and failed to convert any of the break point opportunities he created on the Ukrainian’s
serve in the first set.
Dolgopolov took an early lead in the second set as he broke his opponent in the opening game but the Ukrainian failed to consolidate on the break of serve, losing his serve in the second game to equalise the score at 1-1. The right-handed broke again in
the third game and this time he held his serve in the next game to grab a 3-1 lead. Dolgopolov claimed double break of serve as he broke the Portuguese in the seventh game and served out the set at 5-2.
The Ukrainian served averagely in the second set as he converted nine of the fourteen first serves and seven of the eleven second serves into points in the second set. The five feet and eleven inches tall returned superbly as he captured fourteen of the
25 receiving points and won three of the four break points he received in the second set.
Dolgopolov and Gil held their serve in the first seven games of the third set and took the score to 4-3 in favour of the latter. The Portuguese broke Dolgopolov in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead but lost his serve in the next game to take the score to
5-4. The Ukrainian broke Gil in the eleventh game and served out the set in the next game, clinching it 7-5.
The Kiev resident will meet world number 108 Flavio Cipolla of Italy in the second round.
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