Daniel Gimeno-Traver upsets Richard Gasquet to advance to the second round of Mutua Madrid Open
World number 61 Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain came back from one set down to rally past world number 16 Richard Gasquet of France in three sets 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of Mutua Madrid Open at the La Caja Mágica in Madrid
on Monday. The Spaniard took two hours and 14 minutes to beat his opponent.
Gimeno-Traver was broken by Gasquet in the eighth game of the opening set, losing it 3-6. The Spaniard hit a single ace and 78 percent of the first serves, capturing 52 percent of the points on them in the opening set. On the other
hand, Gasquet delivered 67 percent of the first serves and clinched 61 percent of the points on them. The French returned superbly as he won 48 percent of the first return points in the first set. Gimeno-Traver converted 39 percent of the first returns into
points in the opening. The Spaniard could save just three of the five break points he faced in the first set.
The 25-year-old fought back in the second set and broke Gasquet in the seventh game to win the set 6-4. Gimeno-Traver fired a single ace and did not hit any double fault in the second set. The Spaniard kept his first serve percentage
at 59 percent and grabbed 76 percent of the points on them in the second set. The right-handed converted two of the four break points he received and saved three of the four break points he faced in the second set.
Gimeno-Traver carried the winning momentum into the third set and broke Gasquet in the in the second game, taking a 2-0 lead. However, the Frenchman was quick to respond as he broke his opponent in the third game and held his serve
in the next game to level the score at 2-2. Gimeno-Traver broke again in the eighth game and served out the set at 5-3.
The Spaniard hit 59 percent of the first serves, winning 84 percent of the points on them in the deciding set. In comparison, Gasquet delivered 62 percent of the first serves and converted 57 percent of them into points in the
final set. Gimeno-Traver capitalized on two of the six break point opportunities he created in the third set. The six feet and one inch tall saved two of the three break points he faced in the deciding set.
Gimeno-Traver is drawn to play world number 8 Jurgen Melzer of Austria in the second round. The Austrian, seeded eighth at the Mutua Madrid Open, received a bye in the opening round.
This will be the third meeting between these two. Melzer leads Gimeno-Traver 2-0 in the head-to-head record.
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