Feliciano Lopez books a return ticket; loses to Mardy Fish in 2nd round – Rogers Cup 2011
The Canadian Masters, currently sponsored by Rogers Cup, saw the American world No.8, Mardy Fish, conquering the Stade Uniprix hard court in Montreal. Playing against the Spaniard, Feliciano Lopez, for the 7th time in
history, the American once again took the head-to-head lead, 4-3, beating his challenger in straight sets 6-2, 6-3.
Mardy, winning the Atlanta Tennis Championship earlier this year, has been performing spectacular lately. Making it to the Los Angeles final as well, the 29-year-old, after Roger Federer and David Ferrer, is the 3rd 29-year-old
in the top rankings. Seemingly tough, but at 29 years of age, Fish is still playing tennis that mesmerizes his fans and everyone who turn on the sports channel.
On the contrary, Feliciano Lopez, the Spanish world No.25, made a bad choice entering the Rogers Cup. Playing most of his previous matches on clay circuit, the Spaniard lost his ground playing against the hard court specialist.
Although he won the Bogota Challenger earlier this year, his dreams of conquering the hard circuit was just another of wild imagination.
Previously, the two have clashed mainly on hard courts. This might be the reason the Spaniard dreamt of beating the World No.8 once again as he did in the Davis Cup quarter-final. However, their head-to-head scores are dominated
by Mardy Fish now as he succeeded in knocking out the Spaniard unremittingly.
The fixture started off with Fish serving the first game and opened up the scoreboard, 1-0. Dominating the first set with 81 percent of his 1st serve wins, the world No.8 broke the Spaniard two times in the first set.
The first breakpoint came in game 6 following with another in game 8. Blazing five aces in a single set, Fish secured a 6-2 win in the first set winning seventeen service points and thirteen returners totalling thirty points.
With a staggering win in the first set, the 29-year-old once again served first to take the advantage lead, 1-0. Lopez was eager to follow his challenger and level the set but faced a tormenting loss in game 2. Breaking the Spaniard
mercilessly, Fish extended his lead to 2-0 and then further on to 3-0. Lopez finally won a breather; nonetheless, it was Fish who had the dominators remote then onwards.
Winning on respective serves, the scores ended up 6-3 for the second set. The Spaniard took his return ticket while the American settled for a 3rd round seat in the Rogers Cup 2011. Fish added another 32 points to his
previous 30 in the first set totalling 62 points for his 2nd round win.
His next challenge is Latvian Ernests Gulbis, who washed off former world No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero in the first round. The two will battle it out for a seat in the next stage of the Masters 1000 event.
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