Bjorn Phau knocks out Martin Fischer in the first round – Mercedes Cup 2012
World number 81, Bjorn Phau of Germany, cruised to the next stage, as he thrashed Austria’s 246th ranked, Martin Fischer, in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 in the opening round at the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, Germany on Tuesday.
Phau and Fischer traded a break of serve in the opening four games to take the score to 2-2. Both of them held their serves in the following two, levelling the proceedings at 3-3. It was an all-Phau show afterwards, as he did not
allow the Austrian to win even a single game, clinching three in a row to close it 6-3.
The German neither hit an ace nor committed any double fault in the opening set. He had a below average first serve percentage of 55 but his conversion rate was excellent, claiming 10 of the 12 points. The 5ft 9in tall responded
aggressively to Fischer’s deliveries, as he converted nine of the 17 first and nine of the 16 second returns into points. The German put away one of the two break threats he came across and availed three of the four chances he created.
The second set saw a stable start from both players, as they did not drop their serve in the opening seven games, taking the score to 4-3 in the favour of Phau. The German snatched a break in the eighth and made the most of it
to win 6-3.
The Cologne, Germany resident smacked one ace and committed the same number of double faults. His first serve percentage was even worse than the opener, as he kept it on just 47. The 32-year-old won 12 of the 18 first and 13 of
the 20 second delivery points. He could not perform in the same way on the Austrian’s second serves, losing 11 of the 14 second reply points. However, he managed to convert one of the six break points he received in the second set.
Phau needed only one hour and 29 minutes to bulldoze his opponent in a one sided encounter.
The German is slated to meet Czech Republic’s Lukas Rosol in the round of 16.
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