Dimitrov/Seppi, Erlich/Ram qualify for the title match – AEGON International 2011
Dimitrov/Seppi defeat Fleming/Hutchins 7-5, 7-6(5)
Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria and Andreas Seppi of Italy prevailed over Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins of Great Britain in straight sets 7-5, 7-6(5) in the semi-finals of AEGON International at Devonshire Park in Eastbourne on Thursday.
The Bulgarian/Italian team took an hour and eighteen minutes to undo their opponents.
Dimitrov and Seppi broke their opponents in the eleventh game of the first set and held their serve at in the twelfth game to win the set 7-5. The Bulgarian/Italian pair hit two aces and 68 percent of the first serves, winning
65 percent of the points on them in the first set. Dimitrov and Seppi succeeded in saving all the four break points they faced and converted one of the two break points they received in the opening set.
The Bulgarian/Italian pair and Fleming/Hutchins held their serve in the first twelve games of the second set, squaring off the score at 6-6 and forcing a tie-break. Dimitrov and Seppi grabbed a single mini-break in the tie-break,
claiming it 7-5. The unseeded pair saved all the three break points they faced and did not receive any break point on their opponent’s serve in the second set.
Dimitrov and Seppi will face Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram in the title match.
Erlich/Ram beat Melo/Soares 6-3, 6-7(7), 13-11
Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram of Israel survived a late scare to defeat Brazilian team of Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares in three thrilling sets 6-3, 6-7(7), 13-11 in the semi-finals.
The Israeli team broke their opponents in the sixth game of the first set and capitalised on it to win the set 6-3. The world number 28 pair delivered 63 percent of the first serves and captured 74 percent of the points on them
in the first set. Erlich and Ram converted two of the four break points they received and saved five of the six break points they faced in the opening set.
In the second set, both combinations failed to break each other, levelling the score at 6-6 to take the set to a tiebreak. Melo and Soares clinched a late mini-break in the tie-break to grab it 9-7. The Brazilians kept their first
serve percentage at 67 percent, capturing 79 percent of the points on them in the second set. The third seeds saved both break points they faced on their own serve and did not receive any break point on the Israeli pair’s serve in the second set.
In a thrilling match tie-break, Erlich and Ram claimed the mini-break at 11-11 and served it out on the next point, winning it 13-11. The Israelis hit 50 percent of the first serves and won 83 percent of the points on them in the
match tie-break. Erlich and Ram converted 22 percent of the first returns into points. The match lasted for an hour and 48 minutes.
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