Flavio Cipolla downs Simone Bolelli to qualify for the main round of Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell
World number 161 Flavio Cipolla of Italy upset compatriot Simone Bolelli, ranked 109th in the world, in three sets 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final qualifying round match at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Sunday.
Bolelli crushed Cipolla in the first set, winning six straight games to win the first set 6-0. The 25-year-old hit 68 percent of the first serves, winning 73 percent of the points on them in the opening set. On the other hand,
Cipolla delivered 60 percent of the first serves and converted just 33 percent of them into points. The Italian could save just three of the six break points he faced in the first set.
Cipolla fought back in the second set and broke Bolelli in the fifth and ninth game, claiming the set 6-3.
Cipolla fired a single ace and 75 percent of the first serves in the second set. The Italian won 67 percent of the first service points in the second set. In comparison, Bolelli hit 65 percent of the first serves, winning 59 percent
of the points on them. Cipolla converted both break points he received in the second set.
Carrying the winning momentum into the final set, Cipolla broke his opponent twice to win the set 6-2.
The 27-year-old delivered a couple of aces and did not commit any double fault in the deciding set. The right handed kept his first serve percentage at 77 percent and converted 70 percent of them into points in the third set. The
Italian capitalized on two of the four break opportunities he received in the final set. The match lasted for one hour and 55 minutes.
Cipolla has a 0-2 win/loss record this year. The Italian lost to Benoit Paire of France in straight sets 1-6, 5-7, 1-6 in the opening round at the Australian Open. Cipolla was beaten by Belgian Xavier Malisse in straight sets 1-6,
4-6 in the round of 128 at the BNP Paribas Open last month.
This is the first time that Cipolla has succeeded in qualifying for the main round at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. In his first attempt, the Italian lost to Farrukh Dustov of Uzbekistan in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(3) in the
second round qualifying match in 2007. Cipolla was defeated by Pere Riba of Spain in straight sets 2-6, 6-7(5) in the second round of the qualifying draw in 2009. The Italian failed to go past the first round last year, losing to Spaniard Ivan Navarro in three
sets 6-3, 3-6, 2-6.
Cipolla is slated to play world number 59 Robin Haase of Netherlands in the first round of the main draw.
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