Carsten Ball sends Kevin Kim to the lockers in final qualies - Charlottesville Challenger 2011
American Carsten Ball got rid of compatriot Kevin Kim in the final qualifying round of the Charlottesville Challenger 2011.
The two took up swords on indoor hard courts of the Boar’s Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Virginia and after just one hour and twenty six minutes, Ball squashed Kim in straight sets of 7-6(1), 7-6(2) on Monday the 31st of October 2011.
The first set of the match was initiated by Ball and he held his serve to commence the scoreboard at 1-0. Trailing behind was Kim, who too bagged his first serve and spun the scoreboard to 1-1. By the end of the fourth game the two compatriots once more bagged a service game each and tied the score at 2-2
The two challengers kept matching a blow for a blow and the score kept tied at 3-3, 4-4 and eventually at 5-5 by the end of the tenth game. During the last two games, the set could’ve tilted either way but neither player wanted the other to the lead and they once more tied the score at 6-6 to push the set into a tiebreaker.
The head-to-head leg between the two had lost its zeal and with a series of breaks, Ball rushed past his adversary to clinch the tie breaker at 7-1. In doing so; he clogged the opening set and had now taken a competitive edge over his adversary.
The second set of the match was commenced by Kim and he tactfully held his serve to shift the scoreboard to 1-0. Following in his footsteps was Ball and he too held his serve and spun the scoreboard at 1-1. In subsequent two games, the players bagged a game on their respective serves to tie the score at 2-2 by the end of the fourth game.
As the two challengers matched an eye for an eye, the score kept tied at 3-3, 4-4 and eventually at 5-5 as the players held their service games for the next six games (by the end of the tenth game). During the eleventh and the twelfth game as each player bagged a game, the set was ultimately pushed into tiebreaker.
Amidst the tiebreaker, the toe-to-toe run had lost its steam and first to take the lead was Kim but eventually Ball made a return to finally clinch the tiebreaker at 7-2. Ball not only bagged the set but also the match. In doing so; he reserved a spot in the main draw of the tournament.
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