Cerretani/Shamasdin beat Bemelmans/Charroin in final eight – Eckental Challenger 2011
The 2011 Eckental Challenger entered into the men’s doubles quarterfinals on November 2, 2011. The team of Ruben Bemelmans (Belgium) and Olivier Charroin (France) met the pair of James Cerretani (USA) Adil Shamasdin (Canada) with
both teams hoping to enter the semi finals. The team of Cerretani/Shamasdin won the quarterfinal 7-5, 7-6(8).
It was an evenly contested match between the two teams as they kept their pace going from the first game of the first set. Both teams delivered three aces each in the match. Their double faults were also identical as Bemelmans/Charroin
conceded six double faults and their opponents had seven.
Both the pairs also did not score much with their first serves either. It may be because they were playing their shots with caution. Bemelmans/Charroin had a 53% first serve winning rate while their opponents had a 59% ratio.
During the first set, Bemelmans/Charroin did not deliver any aces and conceded double faults thrice. Their opponents did serve two aces more than their competitors, but they did concede five double faults.
With almost equal statistics in the first set, both teams were head-to-head but Cerretani/Shamasdin maintained a decent flow with their shots. Bemelmans/Charroin could were not given room to win the sixth game in the first set,
otherwise they could have taken it into a tiebreaker. Cerretani/Shamasdin were successful in winning the sixth and the seventh game to win the first set 7-5.
In the second set, both teams were again toe-to-toe and neither one of them were looking to accept defeat. The quarterfinal entered into an interesting phase in the second set where Bemelmans/Charroin scored three aces but did
lose points with three double faults.
The two teams also successfully saved their breakpoints. They knew that losing a breakpoint would let their opponents take a commanding lead into the second set. The first serve winning ratio of the two teams was again similar
with Bemelmans/Charroin securing 54% points and their opponents with 56%.
Unlike the first set, the team of Bemelmans/Charroin were able to take the second set into a tiebreaker. The pair won ninety-five percent points on first serve as compared to 73% by their opponents.
The second set tiebreaker was an opportunity for Bemelmans to stay in the match and go into the semi finals, but Cerretani/Shamasdin kept their offensive play going on a steady pace. They did not look nervous and clinched the second
set 7-6(8).
Bemelmans/Charroin were lucky in the previous match of the tournament on October 31, 2011, when they won against Johan Brunstrom (Sweden) and Ken Skupski (Great Britain) as the latter had to retire.
Cerretani/Shamasdin have now moved into the semi finals with a hope to win their first Eckental Challenger title.
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