Feliciano Lopez outlasts Jan Hajek in the second round – Credit Agricole Suisse Open 2012
Fifth seeded Spanish contestant, Feliciano Lopez, took control of the proceedings after losing the first set to topple the world number 90, Jan Hajek of Czech Republic, 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-4 in the round of 16 at the Credit Agricole
Suisse Open in Gstaad, Switzerland on Wednesday. The Spaniard needed one hour and 48 minutes to beat his opponent in a close contest.
Lopez hit a blow to the Czech player in the opening game of the match to move ahead 1-0 but he lost his following serve to level the score at 1-1. None of the two players managed to break his opponent during rest of the set, taking
the score to 6-6 and forcing a tie-breaker round into play. Lopez and Hajek went on equal terms until 2-2 but then Hajek grabbed five of the next six points to triumph 7-6(3).
The Czech contestant ruled with the help of his blistering serves, bombarded seven aces and not committing any double fault. The 5ft 11in tall kept his first delivery percentage at 82 and secured 22 of the 31 points on them. The
28-year-old could not put away the one break threat he came across but compensated by utilising the only opportunity he received in the opener.
Lopez did not come under pressure after losing the first set, as he played brilliantly in the second one. The Spaniard allowed his opponent to claim only one game until the end, claiming a couple of breakthroughs and making the
most of them to win 6-1.
The left-hander smashed one ace and 61 percent of the first serves, grabbing all the 11 points on them. The 30-year-old also troubled Hajek on the second deliveries and return, pocketing five of the seven and five of the six points
on them respectively.
Lopez and Hajek made a stable start in the final set, as they did not drop their serve in the opening four games to square off the score at 2-2. The Spaniard struck in the fifth and capitalised on that to capture it 6-4.
The 30th ranked player will face the world number 60, Thomaz Bellucci, in the quarter-finals.
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