Alexandr Dolgopolov overcomes Erik Chvojka in the first round – Rogers Cup 2011
World number 21 Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine came back after losing the second set to rally past Canadian wild card entrant Erik Chvojka, ranked 290th in the world, in three sets 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in the opening round
at the Rogers Cup in Montreal on Monday. The Ukrainian took two hours and thirteen minutes to beat his opponent in a tough encounter.
Dolgopolov broke the Canadian in the second game of the opening set and held his serve in the next game, racing to a 3-0 lead. The Ukrainian served out the set at 5-3.
The 22-year-old served very well as he fired four aces, clinching twelve of the fifteen first service points and eight of the eleven second service points in the opening set. On the other hand, Chvojka had almost the same first
serve conversion rate, winning eleven of the fourteen points on the first serve. However, he hit just one ace and bagged a meagre four of the ten second service points. Dolgopolov and the Canadian could not return well as they sealed 21 percent and 20 percent
of the first return points respectively in the opening set.
Dolgopolov carried the winning momentum into the second set. The Ukrainian broke Chvojka in the third game and won his next service game to take a 3-1 lead. The Canadian broke back in the sixth game, equalling the score at 3-3.
The Argentinean and Chvojka held their serve in the next five games to take the score to 6-5 in the latter’s favour. Serving to stay in the set at 5-6, Dolgopolov committed a double fault at set point, losing the set 5-7.
Chvojka fired three aces, converting 22 of the 27 first serves and five of the eighteen second serves into points in the second set. The Canadian committed three double faults and grabbed just three of the fifteen first return
points in the second set.
Dolgopolov made a comeback in the final set as he broke the Canadian in the fifth game and consolidated on it to grab a 4-2 lead. The Ukrainian held his serve in the tenth game, winning the set 6-4.
The Kiev resident improved his serve drastically, delivering four aces and capturing twelve of the thirteen first service points in the final set. The five feet and eleven inches tall capitalised on one of the eight break point
opportunities he created on the Canadian’s serve in the third set.
Dolgopolov will face seventh seed Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic in the round of 32.
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