Florent Serra prevails over Andrey Kuznetsov in the second round – Rai Open 2012 CH
World number 153, Florent Serra of France, defeated Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia in straight sets 6-4, 7-6(4) in the second round at the Rai Open in Rome, Italy on Wednesday. The Frenchman required just an hour and 34 minutes to
outperform Kuznetsov.
The Russian was first to take lead, as he allowed Serra to win just a couple of points in the first two games and moved 2-0. However, The French bounced back to level the score at 2-2. Kuznetsov snatched a break again in the fifth
game and consolidated on it to take a 4-2 lead. Serra raised the level of his game after that and captured four straight games, sealing it 6-4.
The Frenchman hit a single ace and committed the same number of double fault. He kept his first serve percentage at 65, clinching 14 of the 22 points on them. The 31-year-old avoided two of the four break threats he faced and utilised
three of the four of his opportunities in the opener.
In the second set, it was Serra’s turn to snatch opening two games and attain a 2-0 lead but Kuznetsov also responded in the same manner, as he hit back immediately to come on equal terms. They held in the next four games to take
the score to 4-4. Kuznetsov broke the Frenchman but failed to serve out the set, once again levelling the score at 5-5. They took it to a tie-breaker, where Serra grabbed final three points to seal it 7-6(4).
The right-hander banged in a couple of aces and again hit the same number of double faults. He delivered 76 percent of the first serves, converting 20 of the 29 of them into points. The Frenchman could not save both of the break
points he faced but compensated that by converting two of the seven he received in the second set.
Serra is in good form, as he had stunned eighth seed, Thomas Schoorel of the Netherlands, in straight sets 6-1, 7-6(2) in the opener.
The Frenchman will either meet Rui Machado of Portugal or Kazakh, Andrey Golubev, in the quarter-final.
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