Cedrik-Marcel rallies past Leonardo Mayer to advance into the main draw – Gerry Weber Open 2011
German Cedrik-Marcel Stebe battled past former world number fifty-one, Argentinean Leonardo Mayer in a troublesome three setter match to advance into the main draw of the Gerry Weber Open 2011, an ATP World Tour 250 series event
held in Halle, Germany. He bounced from a set down to win in a 6-7(6), 7-5, 7-6(4) victory over the 24-year-old Argentinean on Sunday.
Stebe won the hearts of the crowd at his home soil after earning this victory in three hours and forty-two minutes at Gerry Weber Stadion. He lost the opener in a tie-breaker but prevailed in the final set’s tie-breaker to advance
into the main draw of this grass court event.
Ranked 206th in the South African Airways ATP World tour rankings, Mayer found nine breakpoint opportunities in the opening set of which he converted two to his advantage. However, he saved only one out of three breakpoints
faced to extend the set to tie-breaker where he prevailed to bag the opener with a 7-6(6) win. The Argentinean, who reached the third round of Roland Garros through qualifiers before entering this event, committed many double faults and produced a lower first
serve share of 50 percent as compared to Stebe’s 66 percent but registered an amazing 85 percent win on it.
The German, ranked four places below him, got on roads in the second set and convincingly held his opening sere. Later, he lost his serve once but broke the higher ranked serve twice to seal the equaliser by winning seven games
to five. Stebe clobbered more double faults and produced a lower first sere share of 61 percent as opposed to Mayer’s 75 percent. However, he registered an impressive 70 percent win on it. The German saved two out of three breakpoints faced and converted two
out of six breakpoint opportunities to his advantage to help win easily.
20-year-old carried his momentum into the final set and pleased his home crowd after hammering blistering forehands from his arsenal of skills. He saved all three breakpoints conceded but failed to convert both breakpoint opportunities
to his advantage and took the set to tie-breaker. Stebe prevailed in it to clinch the decider with a 7-6(4) victory.
Up next for Stebe is his countryman, Philipp Kohlschreiber in the round of thirty-two. 27-year-old made a final berth at Dusseldorf but lost in the opening round at French Open is low in confidence and Stebe can easily overpower
him if he keeps his momentum.
Another qualifying seed who will be joining the German in the first round is the Belgian Ruben Bemelmans who trashed German Andre Begemann in straight sets to reach this spot.
Tags: