Bryans defeat Knowles/ Mertinak in the second round of Internazionali BNL d’Italia doubles
Top seed American duo of Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan had no real trouble in disposing off the team of Mark Knowles of Bahamas and Michal Mertinak of Slovakia in the second round of the doubles category of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia
on Thursday. In the fairly one-sided contest being played at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy, the Bryan Brothers outclassed their opponent in straight sets 6-3, 6-2, in just 68 minutes to make it to the quarter-finals of the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals)
World Tour 1000 tournament.
The world number one doubles team of Bryan Brothers keep displaying their amazing tennis skills on the clay courts of Rome. The American duo registered their 27th win of the running ATP season by defeating Knowles and
Mertinak in the second round of the tournament. The top seed pair defeated Knowles and Mertinak for the second time in the running year, as they were victorious at Sydney in January.
The Bryan Brothers kept the games short and professional and gave no chance to their opponents to come on top. They crafted 13 break opportunities in the matchup and converted four of them en route to victory. Knowles and Mertinak
broke the top seeded pair once in the game but their overall performance was not satisfying at all.
Bob and Mike took off the opener with their typical aggression and tend to exert early pressure over their opponent. The Americans served brilliantly with 78 percent precision and reeled off 18 out of 27 serve points in the game
to come out as the winners in the end. Three double faults were reported on their behalf but their overall points winning proficiency over shadowed their minor mistakes.
The opener took off with an exchange of early serve breaks from both sides. The top ranked duo stung its second serve break in the seventh game to get into 5-3 lead, serving for the set. The Bryan Brothers had no difficulty in
serving out of the opening set at 6-3 and get one up in the contest.
Things exacerbated for Knowles and Mertinak in the following set, as they had to suffer a break point in the very first game of the second set. The Bryan Brothers registered a crucial serve break in the eighth game to seal the
contest at 6-2, getting a place in the quarter-finals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
Bob and Mike will encounter the team of Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick in an all-American affair in the quarter-final matchup at Rome.
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