Cedrik-Marcel Stebe jolts down Lukasz Kubot in the opening round – Mercedes Cup 2012
Local contender, Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, shocked the seventh seed, Lukasz Kubot, in a see-saw match at the Mercedes Cup 2012, an ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour 250 series event taking place in Stuttgart. He formulated a 6-2, 0-6, 6-3 victory
against the Polish seed to charge into the second round on Tuesday.
The German underdog showed awe-inspiring skills to outrun Kubot in their maiden battle with each other. After earning the glory in one hour and 41 minutes, Stebe assertively secured a place in the round of 16 and took lead in the head-to-head series by 1-0
against the Boleslawiec native.
The 21-year-old, Stebe, made a powerful entry at the Tennis Club Weissenhof and drew the first blood in the opening game to jump to a 2-0 lead. He cashed in another break chance in the fifth game and then held remaining serves to pocket the opener with a
6-2 win.
Kubot, ranked 68th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, made a stunning reply in the following set. He went on a six-game killing spree and subsequently carved out the equaliser with a bagel.
The left-handed German re-gained his strength in the final set and got the desiderated break in the third game to go 3-1 up. He held remaining serves with poise and capitalised on another break chance in the last game, eventually sealing the decider by winning
six games to three.
The local youngster stepped off steam in the second set but quickly found the right track again in the final set.
“In the second set, I started a bit nervous,” reflected the beaming German in a courtside interview.
Stebe is eyeing to lift his game in his next match against the French contestant, Jeremy Chardy.
“I just have to focus on my game. I just have to be calm, don’t be nervous and it should work out fine,” the German was quoted further.
Chardy stomped over the local qualifier, Julian Reister, in straight sets to set up this meeting. The world number 51 swiped his entire serves without facing any breakpoint and broke the German’s serve three times, subsequently manipulating a 6-2, 6-4 score
line.
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