Andreas Seppi outguns Michael Berrer to reach round two – Shanghai Rolex Masters 2012
Italy’s world number 26, Andreas Seppi, survived a late scare to beat the 119th ranked player from Germany, Michael Berrer, in straight sets 6-2, 7-6(5), in the first round of the Shanghai Rolex Masters. This is the
second last ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event of the season, being held on the hard courts in Shanghai.
Seppi and Berrer held their opening serves to begin the contest, taking the score to 1-1. The Italian participant struck in the third and fifth game, capitalising on the double strike to close it 6-2.
The 28-year-old pounded four aces and committed a single double fault, keeping his first serve percentage at 61 and pocketed 12 of the 14 points on them in the first set. The 6ft 3in tall also put up a good show on the second deliveries
and returns, clinching five of the nine and four of the seven points on them respectively.
First four games of the second set went with serves, taking the score to 2-2. Seppi hit a blow to the German national in the fifth to move ahead 3-2 but Berrer broke back immediately to even out the proceedings at 3-3. There was
no strike by either of the two players in the rest of the set, levelling the score at 6-6 and forcing a tie-breaker. Seppi and Berrer went at par till 3-3 but then the former managed to claim a mini-break and made the most of it to win 7-6(5).
The Italian contestant increased his aces to five and matched his performance of one double fault in the second set. The Caldaro, Italy resident maintained a first serve percentage of 60 and secured 21 of the 30 points on them.
The right-hander evaded four of the five break threats he came across and availed one the two chances he got on the second set.
Seppi needed one hour and 28 minutes to clinch victory in a contest which became close at the end.
The Italian will lock horns with the fourth seed, Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic, in the second round. Ranked seventh in the world, Berdych received a bye in the opener.
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