Andy Roddick upset by Flavio Cipolla in the opening round of Mutua Madrid Open
American Andy Roddick, ranked 12th in the world, faced an early exit in his first clay court tournament of the season, losing to world number 160 Flavio Cipolla in three sets 4-6, 7-6(7), 3-6 in the opening round at
the Mutua Madrid Open on Monday. Cipolla took three hours and two minutes to undo the American in a marathon match.
Roddick was broken in the ninth game of the opening set, losing it 4-6. The American lost despite serving quite well in the first set. He delivered four aces and 81 percent of the first serves in the opening set. In comparison,
Cipolla hit a single ace and 62 percent of the first serves, winning 81 percent of the points on them. The Italian saved all three break points he faced and converted one of the two break points he received in the first set.
In the second set, Roddick saved two break points to hold a tough opening game. The six feet and two inches tall broke Cipolla in the fourth game and held his next service game to take a 4-1 lead. However, the American number 2
failed to serve out the set at 5-4. Trailing 6-7 in the tie-break, Roddick won three consecutive points, saving a match point and claiming the tie-break 9-7.
The American fired 65 percent of the first serves and converted 64 percent of them into points in the second set. The 28-year-old capitalized on one of the five break point opportunities he created in the second set. Roddick managed
to save three of the four break points he faced in the second set.
After losing a close second set, Cipolla put pressure on Roddick from the start of the deciding set as he broke the American in the second game, racing to a 3-0 lead. Roddick broke back in the seventh game but failed to hold his
serve again in the eighth game to trail 3-5. Cipolla did not allow Roddick to come back and served out the final set at 5-3.
The Italian hit a single ace and 82 percent of the first serves, converting 61 percent of them into points in the deciding set. The 27-year-old won two of the four break points he received and saved one out of two break points
he faced in the final set.
This is Cipolla’s first tour level win of the year. The right-handed lost to Frederico Gil of Portugal in straight sets 3-6, 2-6 in the first round at the Estoril Open last week.
The Italian will be taking on world number 27 Michael Llodra of France in the round of 32. Llodra defeated American Sam Querrey in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 in the first round.
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