Florian Mayer upsets Viktor Troicki in the first round of Mutua Madrid Open
Germany’s top player Florian Mayer, ranked 30th in the world, came back from one set deficit to rally past number two Serbian Viktor Troicki in three sets 4-6,
7-5, 6-4 in the opening round at the Mutua Madrid Open in Madrid on Tuesday. It took the German two hours and 22 minutes to undo his opponent in a marathon match.
Mayer was broken in the sixth game of the first set, losing it 4-6. The German did not hit any ace and committed a couple of double faults in the opening set. Whereas, Troicki
fired three aces and 59 percent of the first serves, winning 65 percent of the points on them in the first set. The Serbian converted two of the six break points he received in the opening set. The right-handed succeeded in saving three of the four break points
he faced in the opening set.
Troicki was looking to seal the match quickly as he broke Mayer in the second game to go ahead 2-0. However, Mayer broke back in the seventh game and held his next service
game to equalize the score at 4-4. The German broke again in the eleventh game and served out the set at 6-5.
Mayer delivered 63 percent of the first serves in the second set, winning 76 percent of the points on them. The 27-year-old capitalized on two of the six break point chances
he created and saved four of the five break points he faced in the second set.
In the deciding set, Mayer broke his Serbian opponent in the eighth game to capture the set 6-4. The German hit a single ace and committed the same number of double fault
in the final set. The right-handed fired 68 percent of the first serves and won 71 percent of the points on them in the third set. In comparison, Troicki kept his first serve percentage at 50 percent, converting 64 percent of the first serves into points in
the deciding set. The Serbian saved three of the five break points he faced in the final set.
Mayer is featuring at the Mutua Madrid Open after a gap of seven years. The German was beaten by Swede Robin Soderling, ranked 34th in the world at that time,
in straight sets 3-6, 6-7(2) in the round of 64 in his only appearance here in 2004.
The six feet and three inches tall is slated to play Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, ranked 36th in the world, in the second round. Bellucci defeated world number
48 Pablo Andujar of Spain in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 in the opening round.
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