Alexander Peya downs Peter Luczak to advance to the third round qualifier of Grand Prix Hassan II
World number 250 Alexander Peya of Austria prevailed over world number 167 Peter Luczak of Australia in three sets 7-6(7), 0-6, 6-2 in the second round of the qualifying draw at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca on Sunday.
The Austrian took one hour and 56 minutes to undo his opponent.
Peya and Luczak held their serve in the first 12 games of the opening set to level the score at 6-6, forcing a tie-break. The Austrian managed to claim a mini-break late in the tie-break to win it 9-7.
Peya fired in two aces and 50 per cent of the first serves in the opening set. On the other hand, Luczak hit two aces and 66 per cent of the first serves. None of the two players received a break point in the first set.
After losing a tough opening set, Luczak thrashed his opponent as he did not allow the Austrian to win a single game in the second set, winning it 6-0.
The Australian delivered a whopping 94 percent of the first serves in the second set, winning 76 percent of the points on them. Luczak converted three of the four break chances he received in the second set. The Australian saved
both break points he faced in the second set.
Peya looked a completely changed player as he started to play aggressively in the deciding set, breaking his opponent twice to win the set 6-2.
The Austrian hit a single ace and did not commit any double fault in the third set. The 30-year-old kept his first serve percentage at 68 percent and captured 85 percent of the points on his first serve. Peya did not face a single
break point in the deciding set. While, Luczak saved two of the four break points he faced in the final set.
This is Peya’s first win at any level of tournament in 2011. The Austrian started the year at the Brisbane International, where he lost to Luczak in three sets 6-4, 1-6, 4-6 in the first round of the qualifying draw. Peya failed
to qualify for the Australian Open as he lost to Frederik Nielsen of Denmark 6-3, 1-6, 2-6 in the opening qualifying match.
The Austrian was defeated by Kazakh Yuri Schukin in straight sets 5-7, 0-6 in the round of 32 at the Reunion Island Challenger. In his last tournament, the right-handed was forced to retire during his opening round match against
Portuguese Joao Sousa due to an injury, after losing the first set 5-7.
Peya is slated to face world number 377 Nicolas Devilder of France in the next round. The French overcame Spanish Daniel Munoz De La Nava, ranked 151st in the world, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round.
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