Daniel Brands defeats Philipp Oswald in first round – Eckental Challenger 2011
The first round men’s singles competitions of the 2011 Eckental Challenger continued on November 2, 2011. Philipp Oswald (Austria) faced Daniel Brands (Germany). The 24-year old Brands won the match 7-5, 6-4.
Oswald was going at par with Brands throughout the match but he was unable to maintain the right momentum to win the match. Both players tried to prove their dominance as Oswald scored fourteen aces while Brands delivered thirteen,
an indication that both were eager to win their own service games.
Both players also had the same level of first serve winning ratios as Oswald had a 56% success rate while Brands had 55%. In the first set, Oswald scored seven aces as compared to Brand’s four. Oswald was also cautious with his
serves as he conceded only a single double fault.
Brands, however, conceded three double faults in the first set, but since he did not lose any of his service games, he kept his lead in the first set.
The Austrian was closing in for his win in the first set when he had won five games. He could have succeeded in winning the first set but he was unable to move past the German’s offensive style of play. Brands easily won the first
set, 7-5, as he maintained a two-point lead once Oswald won five games.
In the second set, Brands, ranked at world number 147th spot, was again dominant over the 263rdranked Austrian opponent.
Both players conceded only a single double fault, which meant they both were not willing to give any lead to their opponents on their own serves. Brands delivered nine aces while Oswald scored with seven.
They were nearly equal in terms of winning on their first serves as the second set could have been the decider. Had Oswald scored his win in the second set, he would have tied the match but Brands was looking to win the second
set.
Oswald did get two chances to save his breakpoints but he was successful in saving only one of them. Brands, again in the second set, did not lose any of his service games, which was the result of his decent run with the serves.
This match was both players first meeting on the court where Brands now leads their personal score with 1-0. Oswald, who has won nine of his ATP Challenge Tour titles, could not get past Brands in the quest to win the Eckental
Challenger.
Brands was consistent with his serves and also had a strategy, which was to contain his opponent. The German was successful as he won both the sets with a difference of two games, not giving any opportunity to Oswald to play a
tiebreaker.
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