Cedrik-Marcel Stebe hits back at Jeremy Chardy to reach quarters – Mercedes Cup 2012
German contestant, Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, bounced back to triumph over France’s Jeremy Chardy in a three-set thriller at the Mercedes Cup 2012 on Thursday. He summed up a 4-6, 7-6(8), 6-3 victory against the world number 51 to labour into the final eight at
the Tennis Club Weissenhof in Stuttgart, Germany.
The left-handed German warded off 15 out of 18 breakpoints he came across and cashed in four out of 12 break opportunities to pull out the victory in their first meeting. Encountering each other for the first time, Stebe required two hours and 47 minutes
to steal the show and book a spot in the quarter-finals at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour 250 series event.
The Belgium resident made quick in-roads at this outdoor clay court tournament. He drew the first blood in the third game and leaped to a 3-1 lead. Chardy held his remaining serves with poise and sealed the opener by winning six games to four.
Ranked 82nd in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Stebe suffered the first blow in the third game but found the right path after that. He recovered in the very next game and later held his remaining serves to drag the set to the
tie-breaker. He edged past his rival in and eventually plucked the equaliser with a 7-6(8) score line.
Stebe lost his rhythm again in the start of the final set as he gifted away his serve in the fourth game. However, he made a fitting reply and went on a five-game tear, subsequently clinching the decider with a 6-3 score line.
Summing up the German’s performance, Stebe took full advantage of the 12 double faults his opponent spilled and magnificently marked 49 out of 71 points on his slightly higher first serve share.
Next up for Stebe is the Brazilian star, Thomaz Bellucci, who stunned third seeded Bernard Tomic in straight sets to set up this encounter.
The second seed, Juan Monaco, stole the show later that day. He required one hour and 23 minutes outrunning the local challenger, Tobias Kamke, with a 6-2, 6-3 success.
"Today I thought I played very well from the beginning," Monaco stated in a post-matche interview. "I was able to take all the opportunities I made so I’m happy. I’m trying to go day-by-day. I’m playing very well and in perfect shape. But every match is
different and complicated, so we’ll see how far I go."
Monaco will next face the Slovakian qualifier, Pavol Cervenak.
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