Brydan Klein rallies past Toshihide Matsui to enter the main draw – Shimadzu Kyoto Challenger 2012
Australian booming star, Brydan Klein, required three sets to overpower the local challenger, Toshihide Matsui, at All Japan Indoor Tennis Championships 2012 on Sunday. He formulated a 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-6(4) victory over the 33-year-old to reach the main draw of this carpet court tournament taking place in Kyoto, Japan.
Qualifier’s fourth seed, Klein took almost three hours to outsmart the world number 506 in their first outing. He broke his opponent’s serve four times to dump the Japanese and advanced into the first round at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Challenger Tour event.
Ranked 387th in the ATP World Rankings, Klein made quick in-roads in the opening set. He plucked his entire serves without facing any real challenge and needed a single break of serve to clinch the opener with a 6-3 score line.
Matsui on the other side of net re-focused his strategy in the proceeding game and managed to break the Aussie’s serve twice. However, the Japanese saved only three out of five breakpoints he came across and subsequently dragged the set to a tie-breaker. The 33-year-old outshined his opponent completely in it and pocketed the equaliser with a 7-6(5) win.
The match could have gone in any direction at that point but the higher ranked found his rhythm again. The seed broke the Japanese’s serve once and regardless of dusting away four out of five breakpoints he faced, Klein prevailed in the tie-breaker and pulled out the decider with a 7-6(4) score.
Overall, the Australian rising star saved seven out of 10 breakpoints he encountered and converted four out of eight break chances to his advantage. He spilled more double faults but manifested a better first serve share of 74 percent in contrast with Matsui’s 65 percent. Klein then mustered the match by hitting nine ferocious aces.
Up next for Klein is his fellow citizen, Samuel Groth, in the opening round.
Indian competitor, Purav Raja, also secured a main draw spot later that day. He stomped over the local challenger, Masato Hatanaka, in an all-wild card clash in 77-minutes to occupy this spot.
The 26-year-old exchanged an early serve break and then capitalised on another break opportunity in the end to win the opener with a 7-5 score line.
Raja held his composure in the follow-up set and despite failing to save the only breakpoint he came across, the Indian cashed in all three break chances and bagged the set by winning six games to three.
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