Frank Dancevic edges past Jamie Baker to reach quarters – Tallahassee Tennis Challenger 2012
Ninth seed, Frank Dancevic, tumbled over the British rising star, Jamie Baker, in straight sets at the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger 2012 on Wednesday. He formulated a 7-5, 7-5 victory against the 25-year-old to advance into the final eight at this ATP Challenger
Tour event held in Tallahassee, Florida.
The Canadian cashed in all four break opportunities to trash Baker in their first meeting at the Forestmeadows Tennis Complex. He took almost one and half hour to overpower the Brit and book a spot in the quarter-finals.
Dancevic made a strong start at this hard court event and drew the first blood in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Regardless of losing his serve in the very next game, he remained focused and swiped in his remaining serves. The Canadian got the breakthrough
after cashing in his second break chance in the eleventh game, ultimately sealing the opener with a 7-5 win.
Ranked 118th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Dancevic lost his path into the following set. He suffered the first blow in the second game and subsequently went 0-3 down. However, the Canadian re-gathered his strength after
that and not only equalised the scores at 3-3 but capitalised on his second break opportunity in the eleventh game to clinch the set with a 7-5 score line.
Overall, the 27-year-old showed brilliant skills throughout the match. He produced a slightly lower first serve share of 54 per cent as compared to Baker’s 56 per cent but superbly clicked 31 out of 36 points on it. Dancevic committed more double faults
but his nine vicious aces covered it up.
Next up for Dancevic is the eighth seeded local star, Bobby Reynolds, who bounced back to outclass his compatriot, Daniel Kosakowski, in three sets to occupy this position. Reynolds impressively saved eight out of nine breakpoints he faced and capitalised
on three out of 13 break opportunities to seal the deal with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 score line. He clobbered a lower first serve share of 66 per cent in contrast with his fellow citizen’s 72 per cent but spectacularly marked 44 out of 59 points on it.
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