Fernando Verdasco defeats Marinko Matosevic in 2nd round – Legg Mason Tennis Classic 2011
Fifth seed Spaniard Fernando Verdasco scored an impressive but effortlessly accomplished 6-4, 6-4 win against Australian qualifier Marinko Matosevic in their second round match at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, Washington D.C.
Wednesday’s play saw the two remaining qualifiers from the trio of Australians bow out from the tournament after performing incredibly in their first round matches at the main draw. Matthew Ebden bowed out to 9th seed Nikolay Davydenko today while
Chris Guccione had lost to thirteenth seed Kevin Anderson yesterday.
Flying in after weeks of gruelling activity on the European clay courts, 19thranked Verdasco never wavered once under the scorching Washington sun. Coming in with a 24-16 win loss record, Verdasco recently failed in
bagging his sixth career ATP title when he finished runner up to Marcel Granollers at Gstaad, Switzerland. The high roller had previously, in early July, managed to reach the semi finals at Hamburg, Germany. Verdasco however has been plagued by bad luck this
year, having managed to reach the finals thrice but he is still devoid of a single title. Meanwhile, the Australian qualifier had put on display an unchallengeable dexterity in his qualifying matches and blazed through to the main draw with ease. Ranked at
No. 152, Matosevic skilfully swerved clear 7-6(3) 3-6 6-1 of his Lithuanian opponent Richard Berankis in their first-round match.
This one hour twenty seven minutes long match was the players’ first meeting.
Managing a total of 74 points against Matosevic’s 59, Verdasco won 39 service points and 35 return points. Verdasco’s opponent managed to outpace him by winning 44 serve points but managed to win a measly 15 return points. Serving
at 61% in the first set, the Spaniard debilitated Matosevic by winning 79% of his first serve points. The Australian severely lagged behind, managing to connect only 56% of his serves. The second set followed precedent and during the match Verdasco successfully
converted 3 of his 6 breakpoint opportunities while the Australian utilised only 1. The match was decisively won by Verdasco with the score line at a convincing 6-4, 6-4 at play’s end.
The fifth seed Verdasco will compete against ninth seed Nikolay Davydenko in their third round match in Washington. Davydenko had earlier today snapped his four-match losing streak by easing past qualifier Matthew Ebden.
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