Feliciano Lopez beats Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round of Internazionali BNL d’Italia
World number 40 Feliciano Lopez of Spain survived a second set scare to rally past world number 45 Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the second round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia at Foro Italico in Rome on Wednesday. The Spaniard needed two hours and 26 minutes to undo his opponent in a tough contest.
Lopez broke Kohlschreiber in the seventh game of the first set, taking a 4-3 lead. A single break of serve was enough for the Spaniard as he served out the set at 5-4.
The left-handed fired a couple of aces and 52 percent of the first serves in the opening set. Lopez won a whopping 93 percent of the first service points in the first set. In comparison, Kohlschreiber served three aces and the same number of double faults in the first set. The German had a higher first serve percentage as he delivered 62 percent of the first serves but his conversion rate was far lower than Lopez, converting 67 percent of the first serves into points. Kohlschreiber lost one of the nine break points he faced in the first set.
The German responded in the second set, breaking Lopez in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. Serving for the set at 5-3, Kohlschreiber forced an error from Lopez at set point, winning the set 6-3.
The right-handed hit three aces but his first serve percentage was below average as he hit a mere 42 percent of the first serves in the second set. However, Kohlschreiber managed to convert an incredible 90 percent of them into points in the second set. On the other hand, Lopez delivered four aces and 58 percent of the first serves in the second set. The Spaniard could not save one of the two break points he faced in the second set.
In the deciding set, both players held their serve in the first six games to square the score at 3-3. After that, Lopez claimed three straight games, winning the set 6-3.
Kohlschreiber had no answer to Lopez’s powerful serves in the third set. The Spaniard bulldozed his opponent with six aces and 76 percent of the first serves in the final set. While, Kohlschreiber managed to hit only a single ace and 71 percent of the first serves, grabbing just 53 percent of the points on them. The German capitalized on one of the two break point opportunities on Lopez’s serve but failed to save two of the four break points on his own serve in the deciding set.
The Spaniard is drawn to meet world number 1, compatriot Rafael Nadal in the third round. The King of Clay defeated Italian Paolo Lorenzi, ranked 148th in the world, in three sets 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-0 in the second round.
Tags: