Benoit Paire crashes out to Yuichi Sugita in the second round – Orange Open Guadeloupe 2012 CH
Eighth seed, Benoit Paire, was dumped out by the Japanese rising star, Yuichi Sugita, in gruelling three sets at the Orange Open Guadeloupe 2012 on Thursday night. He suffered a 6-7(2), 6-2, 4-6 loss at the hands of the world number 170 in the second round
at this hard court event which is part of ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Challenger Tour 2012.
Paire found the right path in the second set but lost his serve twice in the final set, ultimately bearing a three setter defeat in two hours and 19 minutes. He smashed 12 aces and coughed fewer double faults. However, he was underplayed by Sugita after
showing dismal defensive skills. As a result, the Japanese secured a place in the final eight at this Challenger event.
The 23-year-old confidently entered the Stade Lambert Lamby and after cashing in one out of six break opportunities, he took the lead. However, the Japanese lost his concentration and gifted away his serve one. The set consequently went to the tie-breaker
where Sugita outsmarted the French and pulled out the opener with a 7-6(2) win.
Ranked 96th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Paire re-structured in the second set and swiftly pocketed entire serves without facing any breakpoint. He capitalised on two out of three break chances and sealed the equaliser
by winning six games to two.
The French seed lost his track again in the final set which matter the most. He sought seven break opportunities but squandered six of them. On the other hand, Paire failed to ward off both breakpoints he faced and eventually endured a 4-6 defeat.
All in all, Paire clobbered a slightly better first serve share of 53 per cent as opposed to the Japanese’s 51 per cent and acceptably clinched 43 out of 57 points on it. However, he blocked only five out of eight breakpoints he encountered and registered
this defeat.
Sugita will next confront the Belgian contender, David Goffin, who battled past the British lucky loser, Alexander Ward, in a three set thriller to set-up this date.
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