Bogomolov Jr./ Johnson edge past Blake/ Isner into 2nd round – Western & Southern Open 2011
Alex Bogomolov Jr. and Steve Johnson of USA bounced back after getting bashed in the first set to overcome compatriots James Blake and John Isner in three sets 2-6, 6-4, 10-7 in the first round at the Western and Southern Open
in Cincinnati, Ohio on Monday. The Americans took an hour and eight minutes to claim victory.
Blake and Isner took an early lead as they broke their opponents in the third game of the first set and won their next service game to build a 3-1 lead. The Americans broke again in the seventh game and consolidated on it to win
the set 6-2.
The singles specialists smashed 55 percent of the first serves and a couple of aces in the opening set. Blake and Isner served quite well as they grabbed ten of the twelve first service points and six of the ten second service
points. On the other hand, Bogomolov Jr. and Johnson had a better first serve percentage, hitting 67 percent of the first serves but they managed to win just seven of the fourteen points on them in the first set. However, the difference between the two players
was the return performance as the Americans succeeded in clinching just two of the twelve first return points compared to seven out of fourteen by their opponents in the opening set.
Blake/Isner and their opponents broke each other on a number of occasions in the second set. Blake and Isner were looking to seal the match quickly as they broke the Americans in the second and fourth game, blazing forward to a
4-0 lead. However, Bogomolov Jr and Johnson made a great comeback as they clinched six straight games after that, breaking their opponents three times to win the set 6-4,
The Americans smacked 79 percent of the first serves and delivered a single ace in the second set. Bogomolov Jr. and Johnson converted fourteen of the 22 first serves and two of the six second serves into points. They utilised
three of the ten break point opportunities they received on their compatriots’ serve and saved two of the four break points on their own serve in the second set.
Bogomolov Jr. and Johnson claimed a couple of early mini-breaks in the match tie-break and consolidated on them to win it 10-7. They won all the six first service points in the match tie-break.
The Americans will play second seeds Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Daniel Nestor of Canada in the second round.
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