Ernests Gulbis, Robin Haase move to the quarterfinals of Open de Nice Côte d’Azur
Ernests Gulbis beats Denis Istomin 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
Latvian number 1 Ernests Gulbis, ranked 85th in the world, survived a second set scare to oust world number 58 Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan in three sets 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the round of 16 of Open de Nice Côte d’Azur at
Nice Lawn Tennis Club in Nice on Wednesday. The Latvian took two hours and five minutes to undo his opponent in a tough match.
Gulbis took the early lead as he broke Istomin in the third game of the opening set and held his serve in the next game to go ahead 3-1. Serving to stay in the set at 3-5, Istomin was broken again, losing the set 3-6.
The Latvian fired one ace and 65 percent of the first serves in the opening set. Gulbis claimed 76 percent of the first service points in the first set. The 22-year-old converted two of the three break points on Istomin’s serve
and saved the only break point on his own serve in the opening set.
In the second set, Istomin broke Gulbis in the ninth game and served out the set at 5-4. The Uzbek delivered three aces and 59 percent of the first serves, grabbing 77 percent of the points on them in the opening set.
Gulbis regained his form as he broke his opponent in the very first game of the deciding set and consolidated on it to take a 2-0 lead. The Latvian served out the set in the ninth game, winning it 6-3.
The right-handed will meet Czech Tomas Berdych, seeded second at the event, in the quarterfinals.
Robin Haase defeats Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-2, 6-4
World number 59 Robin Haase of the Netherlands cruised past Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky, ranked 34th in the world, in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Dutch needed just an hour and 22 minutes
to beat his opponent in a one-sided contest.
Haase thrashed Stakhovsky in the first set, allowing the Ukrainian to win just two games and clinching it 6-2.
The 24-year-old served quiet well as he fired four aces and 64 percent of the first serves, bagging 86 percent of the points on them in the first set.
Haase and Stakhovsky broke each other on a number of occasions in the second set. However, it was the Dutch who claimed the decisive break in the ninth game and won the set 6-4.
The right-handed kept his first serve percentage of 52 percent and bagged 64 percent of the points on the first serve in the second set. Haase capitalized on two of the four break point opportunities he created on Stakhovsky’s
serve in the second set.
The Dutch will take on Romanian Victor Hanescu, ranked 69th in the world, in the quarterfinals.
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