Brian Baker tumbles Gianluca Naso in qualifiers – China Open 2012
Qualifying top seed, Brian Baker, eased past the Italian contender, Gianluca Naso, in straight sets at the China Open 2012 on Friday. He nudged up a 6-4, 6-4 victory against the world number 179 to secure a spot in the second round of the qualifying competition
at this outdoor hard court event.
Baker displayed superb skills and agility to outsmart Naso in their first battle against each other. After registering the success in one hour and 33 minutes, the American comfortably advanced in the qualifying event at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals)
500 series event.
The 27-year-old enthusiastically entered the National Tennis Center. He brilliantly warded off all four breakpoints he came across to keep his entire serves. Baker got the breakthrough in the seventh game and clicked the opener with a 6-4 success. He capitalised
on one out of two break opportunities to inch towards the glory.
Ranked 60th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Baker maintained consistency in his game in the following set. He smoothly plucked his entire serves without facing any trouble. The American cashed in one out of four break opportunities
and pulled out the victory with a 6-4 score line.
All in all, the highest ranked player of the qualifying competition dominated throughout the match. He clobbered an equal first serve share of 61 per cent but amazingly availed 31 out of 40 points on it.
Baker will face off his seventh seeded compatriot, Donald Young, who dumped India’s Yuki Bhambri in straight sets to set up this meeting. He broke his rival’s serve three times to formulate a 6-3, 6-2 success.
The qualifying second seed, Matthew Ebden, also earned the limelight later that day. He was broken twice but capitalised on three out of eight break chances, eventually sealing the deal with a 6-3, 7-6(5) score line. The Australian challenger spilled more
double faults but fired nine aces to neutralise the effect. He also produced a better first serve share and clicked 33 out of 43 points on it.
Ebden will next face Czech Republic’s Jan Mertl who stunned the eighth seed, Jimmy Wang, in straight sets to set up this meeting.
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