Explosive Lukas Rosol destroys Thomas Schoorel in quarterfinals - Sparkassen Open 2011 CH
World number 85, Lukas Rosol of Czech Republic scored a big time win on Friday, beating sixth-seeded Thomas Schoorel 7-6(5), 6(7)-7, 6-1 in the quarterfinal of Sparkassen Open 2011, being played here at the Braunschweig, Germany.
The 25-year-old Czech made it difficult for the 6ft 7.5in Dutch to play his serve-volley game and won fourteen of eighteen break points to take the match 7-6(5), 6(7)-7, 6-1 and set up a last four meeting with Jan Hajek of Czech
Republic.
Both players held their opening service games but Rosol, runner-up at the Singapore ATP Challenger, then played a sloppy game, handing a first break to Schoorel by hammering a flat forehand and allowing the big-serving Dutch to
hold a 3-1 lead.
However, two double-faults from Schoorel helped Rosol to break back in the sixth game, and he then retained his next service game to love. The first set went to a tie-break, with Rosol squandering few set points before prevailing
in the tie-break with seven games to five.
After finishing off the opener, Schoorel raced to a 3-0 lead at the start of the second set before Rosol broke back in the ninth game and drew level at 5-5. A second tie-break soon followed in which Schoorel, who was previously
stranded on the baseline by Rosol's groundstrokes, was able to advance to the net and comfortably close out the tie-break to take the match to a deciding set.
However, Rosol broke back in the final set, going 5-0 up with a break in the second game and looked very rigid to ease to victory. Although Schoorel broke back in the first game, Rosol responded immediately closing the door on
the Dutch. A cross-court forehand earned Rosol a break point which he claimed, before serving out the match to win with a delightful drop shot.
Rosol concluded the match by virtue of 61 percent on service, 45 percent on return and a total of 130 0f 245 during the match. By contrast, the sixth-seeded Schoorel won 55 percent on his service, 39 percent of points on return
and an equally good 115 of 245 in total.
With this win, the 25-year-old has taken a lead in their head-to-head series to 1-0 and marches on into the semi-finals of the tournament, where he will be meeting Jan Hajek of Czech Republic, who beat Jaroslav Pospisil in another
quarterfinal match to set-up a meeting with the third-seeded Rosol.
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