Feliciano Lopez, Paolo Lorenzi move to the second round of Internazionali BNL d'Italia
Feliciano Lopez defeats Michael Llodra 7-6(2), 6-1
World number 40 Feliciano Lopez of Spain prevailed over world number 21 Michael Llodra of France in straight sets 7-6(2), 6-1 in the first round of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia at Foro Italico in Rome on Tuesday. The Spaniard
took an hour and 25 minutes to oust his opponent.
Lopez and Llodra held their serve in the first 12 games of the opening set, levelling the score at 6-6 and forcing a tie-break. The Spaniard thrashed his opponent in the tie-break, allowing him to win just two points and claiming
the tie-break 7-2.
The left-handed had a low percentage of first serve as he could deliver just 47 percent of the first serves in the opening set. However, the Spaniard’s conversion rate was impressive as he converted an incredible 94 percent of
the first serves into points in the first set. None of the two players received a break point in the opening set.
Lopez crushed his French opponent in the second set as he dropped only a single game, breaking Llodra twice to win the set 6-1.
The six feet and two inches tall fired two aces and 56 percent of the first serves in the second set. Lopez clinched 73 percent of the first service points in the second set. The 29-year-old capitalized on two of the four break
point opportunities he created in the second set.
The Spaniard will face world number 45 Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in the second round. The German beat Russian Mikhail Youzhny, ranked 13th in the world, in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 in the first round.
Paolo Lorenzi beats Thomaz Bellucci 7-6(5), 6-3
Italian Paolo Lorenzi, ranked 148th in the world, staged an upset as he knocked out world number 22 Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil in straight sets 7-6(5), 6-3 to reach the second round. The match lasted for an hour and 48
minutes.
Lorenzi and Bellucci exchanged a break of serve in the first 12 games of the opening set to tie the score at 6-6, taking the set to a tie-break. The Italian claimed a single mini-break in the tie-break, grabbing it 7-5.
Lorenzi delivered two aces and 67 percent of the first serves, capturing 65 percent of the points on them in the first set. The 29-year-old converted one of the five break points on Bellucci’s serve in the opening set.
The Italian needed a single break in the second set to seal it 6-3. Lorenzi hit 70 percent of the first serves in the second set, converting 74 percent of them into points. The right-handed won 33 percent of the first return points
in the second set.
Lorenzi will take on world number 1, King of Clay Rafael Nadal of Spain in the second round. The Spaniard received a bye in the opening round.
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