Filippo Volandri rallies past Alessandro Giannessi into the second round – Bet-at-home Cup 2012
World number 99, Filippo Volandri of Italy, bounced back after getting thrashed in the first set to outlast his countryman, Alessandro Giannessi, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the opening round of the bet-at-home Cup in Kitzbuhel, Austria. The
Italian player took one hour and 49 minutes to beat Giannessi on Monday.
Volandri and his compatriot began by winning their first serves to level the proceedings at 1-1. Giannessi completely dominated the set afterwards, as he grabbed five games in a row, claiming three breakthroughs and capitalising
on all of them to win 6-1.
The 22-year-old, Giannessi, put in 67 percent of the first serves and secured eight of the 12 points on them. The 5ft 11in tall captured four of the six second deliveries and the same number of second return points. The La Spezia,
Italy resident did not face any break point and converted three of the six he received in the opener.
Volandri put his act together after getting thrashed in the first set, snatching a break in the opening game of the second set and consolidating on it to grab a 2-0 lead. The Italian struck again in the fifth and held his subsequent
serve to move ahead 5-1. Giannessi made a good effort to capture three successive games, reducing his trail to 4-5 but he fell one short, losing the second set 4-6.
The right-hander, Volandri, kept his first serve percentage on 72, converting 14 of the 21 of them into points. The Italian responded aggressively to Giannessi’s weak second deliveries, winning seven of the 10 points on them. The
30-year-old failed to put away the only break threat he came across but made amendments by utilising the two opportunities he created for himself in the second set.
Giannessi was first to take lead in the decider, nailing a break in the second game to move ahead 2-0. Volandri hit back in the third one and won his following serve to even out the score at 2-2. They went on equal terms till 3-3
but it was all Volandri show later on, as he snatched three games in a row to triumph 6-3.
The Livorno, Italy resident neither hit an ace nor committed any double fault, maintaining a first serve percentage of 63 and pocketing 10 of the 15 points on them.
Volandri will meet Spain’s Albert Ramos in the second round. Ramos, who is seeded fourth at the event, received a bye in the opener.
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