Fernando Verdasco and Kyle Edmund progress into round two – AEGON International 2013
Former world number seven, Fernando Verdasco, and the local wild card entrant, Kyle Edmund, outmuscled their opponents to secure a place in the second round at the AEGON International 2013 on Monday.
The Spanish star made a drastic entry at this Wimbledon warm-up tournament. He lost his opening two serves and lost the opening set with a breadstick.
However, Verdasco lifted his game afterwards and ultimately recorded a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 score line against the sixth seed, Alexandr Dolgopolov.
The world number 24, Dolgopolov stormed into this ATP World Tour 250 series event. He cruised to a 5-0 lead before the Spaniard could come on the score sheet. The Ukrainian kept his serve once again and clicked the opener with a breadstick.
Verdasco re-ignited his spark in the following set. He smoothly kept his entire serves and got the breakthrough in the eighth game, consequently clinched the equaliser with a 6-3 score line.
The left-handed Spaniard maintained consistency in the deciding set. He capitalised on two break chances before closing out the decider with a 6-2 win.
The 18-year-old, Edmund, showed his class to join Verdasco in the second round. He played his debut tour-level match last week which he lost to Grega Zemlja. However, the Brit recorded his first ATP victory by ousting the French qualifier, Kenny de Schepper,
in straight sets.
The British teenager stated in a courtside interview after stealing the show, “I have been training hard after the loss at Queen's, really trying to put what I could have done better from that match and make it better. I have been really focusing on returning.
It's just as well [I did] playing the guy I played who's got a big serve. I just had the intent of trying to put a lot of balls into play and go from there. It worked out great. I'm just happy to get the win after being given a wildcard and this great opportunity.”
Currently ranked 442nd in the Emirates Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Edmund drew the first blood in the opening game to take the initial lead. He swiftly bagged his entire serves with conviction and clinched the opener with a 6-4 score line.
Edmund, who recently conquered boys’ doubles title at the French Open, kept momentum rolling in the following set. He smoothly held his entire serves with poise and got the breakthrough in the seventh game, eventually sealing the set by winning six games
to four.
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