Eric Prodon dismisses Florent Serra in the quarterfinals – BNP Paribas Polish Open 2011 CH
Fourth seed Eric Prodon of France staged a great fight back after getting bashed in the first set, beating world number 136, compatriot Florent Serra in three sets 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals at the BNP Paribas Polish Open
in Sopot, Poland on Friday. It took the French an hour and 22 minutes to undo his opponent.
Serra completely dominated the opening set as he dropped just two games and broke his opponent twice to seal the set 6-2.
The French kept his first serve percentage at 59 percent and delivered three aces in the first set. Serra bagged twelve of the sixteen first service points and six of the eleven second service points in the opening set. On the
other hand, Prodon gave a lacklustre performance as he converted just 67 percent of the first serves and 29 percent of the second serves into points in the first set. The French managed to win just 25 percent of the first return points compared to 33 percent
by his opponent. Serra managed to save the one break point he faced and converted two of the seven break points he received on Prodon’s serve in the first set.
After losing the first set miserably, Prodon was looking weak as he lost his serve in the opening game of the second set. However, the French completely turned around the match after that. The 30-year-old captured six straight
games as he broke his opponent three times, winning the set 6-1.
Prodon delivered one ace and 63 percent of the first serves, claiming 75 percent of the points on them in the second set. The French demolished Serra’s second serves throughout the set, converting an amazing 88 percent of the second
returns into points. The right-handed could not save the only break point he faced on his own serve but capitalised on three of the six break point opportunities he created on Serra’s serve in the second set.
The French carried the winning momentum into the third set and broke his countryman twice to capture the set 6-2.
Prodon hit 50 percent of the first serves and three aces in the deciding set. The French did not lose even a single point on his first serve, winning all the nine first service points in the final set. The five feet and ten inches
tall won two of the four break points he received on his compatriot’s serve in the third set.
The French is drawn to meet world number 166 Jan Hajek of Czech Republic in the semi-finals.
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