Fyrstenberg/Matkowski stun Mirnyi/Nestor to reach final – Mutua Madrid Open 2012
Polish duo, Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski, upset the second seeded Belarusian-Canadian junction, Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor, in a three-set thriller at the Mutua Madrid Open 2012 on Saturday. They hit back to clobber a 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 12-10
victory against their rivals to labour into the final showdown at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour Masters 100 event taking place in Madrid, Spain.
The fourth seeded tandem took almost two hours to shock Mirnyi and Nestor in three sets at this blue clay court event. Encountering each other for the ninth time, Fyrstenberg and Matkowski not only lowered trail in the head-to-head series by 2-7 against
the Belarusian-Canadian pair but also inched closer towards their second year-to-date title.
Mirnyi and Nestor thundered into Park Manzanares and drew the first blood in the third game to extend the lead by 3-1. Apart from losing their edge in the eighth game, they stayed focused and outshined their rivals in the tie-breaker, eventually gabbing
the victory with a 7-6(3) score line.
The Polish collaboration rebounded after that and swiftly plucked their entire serves. However, they faced to capitalise on their break opportunities and took the set to the tie-breaker. Fyrstenberg and Matkowski outclassed the higher ranked team in it and
sealed the equaliser with a 7-6(6) success.
Fyrstenberg and Matkowski kept their momentum into the final set or the super tie-breaker. They outclassed their rivals in it and clinched the decider with a 12-10 score line.
The Polish power smashed 15 aces to secure a place in their third final of the season. They grabbed their maiden year-to-date title at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell 14 days ago (triumphed over the Spanish pair of Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez) and
made a final berth at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship (lost to the Indians, Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna).
Fyrstenberg and Matkowski received a first round bye after being a seeded pair at this event. They dumped the Colombian-Argentinean team, Juan Sebastian Cabal and Eduardo Schwank, in straight sets to progress into the quarter-finals. The Poles carried their
rhythm and ousted the Croatian-Brazilian junction of Marin Cilic and Marcelo Melo in straight sets to occupy this spot.
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