Frederico Gil stuns Marcel Granollers in the opening round – Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell 2012
Portuguese, Frederico Gil, made a great effort, as he stunned 12th seed, Marcel Granollers of Spain, in straight sets in the first round at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell in Spain on Tuesday. The world number 117 allowed the local player to win just four games in the entire match, beating him 6-2, 6-2 in just an hour and 12 minutes.
Granollers drew the first blood, snatching a break in the very first game of the match and holding his following serve to attain a 2-0 lead. However, the Spaniard could not win even a single game after that, as Gil struck three times and captured six games in a row to seal it 6-2.
Gil smacked a couple of aces and did not commit any double fault, putting in 63 percent of the first serves in the opener. The Portuguese pocketed eight of the 12 first and six of the seven second delivery points. He was almost flawless on the replies to Granollers’ second serves, claiming 11 of the 14 points on them.
The Portuguese and Granollers won their serves in the first three games of the second set, taking the score to 2-1 in favour of the former. Four of the next five were broken, with three of those going to Gil’s credit and the Portuguese winning it 6-2.
The 27-year-old kept his first serve percentage at 64, converting 10 of the 14 points on them in the second set. Gil snatched four of the eight second serve and six of the 12 second return points. The best part of his statistics was first replies, as he sealed seven of the nine points on them.
This was Gil’s second win over the Spaniard in this season, also upsetting him in four sets 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the second round at the Australian Open. The Portuguese is in good form, as he crushed the then world number 36, Mikhail Youzhny, in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 in the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters opening round last week.
Gil is drawn to take on compatriot, Joao Sousa, in the round of 32.
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