Daniel Brands overwhelms Radek Stepanek in 2nd round melee – Erste Bank Open 2011
Daniel Brands, German world No. 182, became the new upset in the Erste Bank Open 2011 as he thrashed the fourth seed, Radek Stepanek, ranked world No.26, in straight sets winning, 6-4, 7-6(4), in an hour and 20 minutes play on
indoor hard circuits at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria on Thursday, 27th of October.
With the disparity in ranking predicting a win for the Czech, Stepanek, it was a shocker for the veteran to lose the match in straight sets. Anyhow, with the two warming up, the toss went in favour of the Czech, who then served
to open up the second round fixture.
Stepanek lit up the match serving first and served out the match opener with a super triple game point winner, 1-0. German world No.182 followed up with a winner and levelled up the scores, 1-1, switching back the serve.
Ranked world No.26, the veteran Czech served out the third game of the set, 2-1, however, the lead was cut down right away as Brands stormed in with his second win of the set, 2-2.With the two rallying down games on respective
serves, levelled up at 3-3 and then at 4-4 before the tables turned.
With a shocker breakpoint, Brands jolted the fourth seeded and now led the set 5-4. Left with just one more game left to win the set, the 24-year-old German amazed the veteran with a super triple set point winner bagging set one,
6-4, and moved on to finish off the Czech in set two.
Stepanek, once again, started off first and served out the opening game of the set rolling down the scorecard, 1-0. Brands kept the pressure up and equalled up every time the world No.26 took the lead. Winning away games on respective
serves, the two then levelled up at 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and on 5-5.
The Czech, this time, had a better offence and defence technique against the young competitor. However, the fired up 24-year-old was too hot to grab. With the set tying up in a tiebreaker, Stepanek served first and won the first
point, 1-0.
Equalling up at 2-2 and then at 3-3, Brands then pulled away winning the next two points and led the scoreboard, 5-3. Stepanek served next, however, won just one of his two serves. With points at 6-4 in favour of the German, Brands
served out for the match, winning the tiebreaker, 7-4, the set, 7-6(4) and the match in straight sets.
Through into the quarter-final round of the ATP World Tour 250 event, Brands now plays another qualifier, Steve Darcis, Belgian world No.95, as they clash out for the semis seat on Friday, 28th of October.
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