Florian Mayer edge past Jan Hajek to grab title – UniCredit Czech Open 2012 CH
Germany’s third seed, Florian Mayer, fought back after getting thrashed in the second set to beat the world number 128, Jan Hajek of Czech Republic, in three sets 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(3) in the title match of the UniCredit Open in
Czech Republic on Saturday.
The German number one took two hours and 25 minutes to beat his opponent and win the crown after a close contest.
Hajek drew the first blood, claiming a breakthrough in the second game and winning his next serve to go up 3-0. However, Mayer came back in style, securing following three games to draw level at 3-3. Hajek once again grabbed lead
by striking in the eighth and taking the score to 5-3 but he could not serve out the set, losing two successive games to square it off at 5-5. Both players held their following serves to take the score to 6-6 and ecforced a tie-breaker into the match. Mayer
played flawlessly later on, dropping only one point and winning it 7-6(1).
The German banged in a couple of aces and 60 percent of the first serves, clinching 16 of the 25 points on them in the opener. On the other hand, Hajek did not hit any ace and out in just 46 percent of the first deliveries.
Mayer and Hajek held their serve in the first four games of the second set to equalise the score at 2-2. The Czech struck in the fifth and consolidated on it to attain a 4-2 lead. Serving to stay in the set at 3-5, Mayer was unable
to hold and lost it 3-6.
Hajek smacked one ace and did not commit any double fault in the second set. He kept his first serve percentage at 74 and captured 17 of the 28 points on it. The Czech amazingly put away all the eight break threats he came across
and managed to convert two of the five opportunities he created.
The final set saw a steady start, as both players held their serves in the first eight games to take the score to 4-4. However, they failed to hold in the next four, evening out the proceedings at 6-6 and taking them to a tie-breaker.
In a similar fashion to the opener, Mayer took off to a flying start and capitalised on it to win 7-6(3).
Mayer improved his serve, as he bombarded four aces on his opponent and pocketed 20 of the 31 first serve points in the decider.
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