Fleming/Hutchins, Mertinak/Sa to clash for the title – Delray Beach International 2012
Colin Fleming/Ross Hutchins beat Mikhail Elgin/Denis Istomin 7-6(6), 6-4
Third seeds Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins prevailed over Russian-Uzbek duo of Mikhail Elgin and Denis Istomin in straight sets 7-6(6), 6-4 in the semi-final at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships in Florida, USA
on Saturday. The Brits needed an hour and 32 minutes to win the match.
Fleming and Hutchins did not have a good start, losing their serve in the very first games. The British pair broke back in the eighth game to even out the score at 4-4. Both teams won their next four games to take the set to a
tie-breaker. Fleming/Hutchins and Elgin/Istomin went neck to neck till 6-6 but then the former played two splendid points to grab it 8-6.
In the second set, both teams made a steady start, as they held their serve in the first six games to equalise the score at 3-3. Fleming and Hutchins snatched a break in the seventh but lost the opportunity in the very next game,
levelling the score at 4-4. The British hit the final blow, bagging next two games to claim the set 6-4.
Fleming and Hutchins availed three of the three break chances they got and avoided one of the three threats they faced in the match.
The British combination is slated to face Michal Mertinak and Andre Sa in the final.
Michal Mertinak/Andre Sa oust Ivo Karlovic/Frank Moser 6-4, 6-4
Slovakian-Brazilian pair of Michal Mertinak and Andre Sa outplayed the Croatian-German duo of Ivo Karlovic and Frank Moser in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to qualify for the title match.
Karlovic and Moser were looking good at the start of the match. They made the initial breakthrough to move ahead 3-1 but Mertinak and Sa struck back immediately to equalise the score at 3-3. The Croatian-German combination was
unable to win their serve in the tenth game, dropping the opener 4-6.
Neither of the two teams was able to break the other in the first eight games of the second set, taking the score to 4-4. A slight raise in the level of game by Mertinak and Sa proved vital and they dropped only one point after
that, sealing it 6-4.
The Slovakian-Brazilian pair put in 69 percent of the first serves, converting 28 of the 36 of them into points in the match. Mertinak and Sa required a mere one hour and 11 minutes to undo Karlovic and Moser.
The unseeded team have qualified for their third consecutive final at the ATP World Tour.
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