Djokovic/ Tipsarevic, Berdych/ Mayer prevail in opening round – Rogers Cup 2011
Reigning world number one Novak Djokovic, the Serbian juggernaut, posted only his third doubles win of the season when he partnered countryman Janko Tipsarevic to do away with the tandem of Mark Knowles and Philipp Petzschner in
their opening round match at the Rogers Cup 2011 in Montreal, Canada.
Kicking off doubles action for the day, Djokovic and Tipsarevic bounced back from a set down to do away with Knowles and Petzschner securing a 5-7, 6-3, 12-10 in one hour and twenty seven minutes. The win came as a superb feat
for the almost novice Serbian team, since, both Knowles and Petzschner hold Grand Slam titles for doubles.
However, not playing with their usual partners the pair lacked the co-ordination and the fighting spirit that the Serbs have exhibited much of lately. Despite starting slow in the first set, the Serbian team met Knowles and Petzschner’s
duo every shot blow to blow. Following closely in their heels, the Serbian tandem managed to keep the score tied for the first ten games. Riding a single extra break point opportunity, Knowles and Petzschner took lead in the eleventh game before serving out
the set to clinch a 7-5 win and 1-0 lead in the set score.
Down but not out, the Serbian team bounced back in the second set with two aces, zero double faults and a seventy percent win on their similar seventy two percent first serve. Saving hundred percent of breakpoints faced, the Serbians
returned the favour as they too rode a single break point opportunity to close out the set at 6-3, levelling the set score at one each.
With a set a piece, the match entered the super tiebreaker. What followed was a fight for the survival as the pair went neck-to-neck clinching almost every point on service. It was only when the Serbians capitalised on a mini-break
in the tiebreak to close out with a 12-10 win.
The Serbians now move on ahead to play the seventh seeded Polish team of Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski.
Joining the Serbians in the second round was the first time pairing of Czech Tomas Berdych and German Florian Mayer. The unranked Czech German duo outdid the 26th ranked pair of Spaniards, Marc Lopez and Rafael Nadal.
Taking almost ninety minutes, Berdych and Mayer struck five aces, one double fault and 85% win on their first serve as they secured a 6-3, 7-6(5) win over the Spaniards. The pair now moves on ahead to play the third seeded Indian
team of Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes.
As the Spanish team of Nadal and Lopez came crashing out of the event, their compatriot Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco made it to the second round with a 6-4, 6-3 win over wildcard entrants, Canadian Vasek Pospisil and Adil
Shamasdin in only sixty five minutes. They now move on ahead to play the top seeded team of Bob and Mike Bryan.
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