Fritz Wolmarans upsets Bobby Reynolds
at the 2011 Rimouski Challenger
Fifth seeded South African Fritz Wolmarans bounced back against the top seeded American Bobby Reynolds to secure a (2)6-7, 6-3, 7-6(3) victory at the 2011 Rimouski Challenger on Sunday.
World number 149 Reynolds, regardless of early exits in the qualifiers at the Australian Open, Memphis, Delray beach and Indian Wells, displayed magnificent skills in this event and was the top seed as well. The 28-year-old dumped
Frenchmen, Albano Olivetti and Ludovic Walter in straight sets in the first two rounds. He then overpowered the sixth seeded Israeli Amir Weintraub in the quarter-final and fourth seeded Dane Frederick Nielsen in the semi-final to reach this spot.
On the other side of net, world ranked 201st Wolmarans trashed all his opponents, who were all unseeded, out of the tournament in straight sets to take on the tournament’s best man. He defeated Swiss Adrien Bossel and
Belgian qualifier Julien Dubail in the first two rounds. The 25-year-old South African then triumphed over American Kevin Kim in quarter-finals and Canadian Vasek Pospisil in the semi-finals to reach this final spot.
Wolmarans was better in the opening set as he hammered eight aces, had an acceptable first serve percentage of 80 percent which was slightly higher than Reynold’s 77 percent. In addition to this, he registered an impressive 82
percent win on it and saved the only breakpoint but he couldn’t convert the only opportunity to his advantage which he produced. Thus the set went to tiebreaker where he trailed and lost the set (2)6-7.
The frustrated South African re-formed and regardless of having a lower first serve share of 67 percent as compared to American’s 84 percent, earned an astonishing 79 percent win on it in the second set.. Wolmarans then saved all
the three breakpoints and broke American’s serve twice to win the equalizer 6-3.
In the final set, Wolmarans was fully charged as he clobbered ten stunning aces, registering an amazing 83 percent win on his lower first serve share. However, the South African squandered all five breakpoint opportunities. The
set went to tiebreaker as both players held all of their serves with Wolmarans outplaying his opponent and clinching the set 7-6(3).
Overall the South African smashed 25 aces as opposed to Reynolds’ 9 and earned more on his lower first serve percentage. Furthermore he saved all the four breakpoints to win the match convincingly in two hours and 28 minutes.
After winning the match against the American, Wolmarans levelled the head to head series by 1-1 and proved he can take on anyone and not just unseeded players. He is aiming to win his maiden ATP title now.
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