Gastao Elias eliminated Frederico Gil in quarter-final round – Buenos Aires Challenger 2011
Gastao Elias, Portuguese world No.198, stunned compatriot, Frederico Gil, world No.99 in the quarter-final round of Buenos Aires Challenger 2011 beating the higher ranked countryman down with a spectacular comeback in the second
set winning, 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 in almost three hours of clay court melee on Friday, 11th of November 2011.
Flaring up the fixture, Gil stormed in with the match opener turning down the scoreboard, 1-0, and switching the serve. Elias, ranked world No.198, served next only to fall prey to the vicious compatriots returns. Breaking down
the 20-year-old rival, Gil pocketed another winner to lead the set, 2-0.
Extending his lead, the 26-year-old won his third and then his fourth consecutive win of the set and led the board, 4-nil. Finally Elias turned down his side of the scoreboard, game 6, however, could not turn any more games into
winners. Gil finished off the set with a 6-1 victory and moved on to play the next.
Continuing with set two, Elias, world No.198, served the set opener, however, could not counter the higher ranked rival’s returns and broke down. Advantaging for the breakpoint, Gil followed with a second consecutive win to lead
the set 2-0.
Cutting down the lead, the 20-year-old finally bagged a winner, 1-2, however, could not turn back the scores until game eight. Elias served game seven, 3-4, and broke the higher ranked compatriot in game eight to level the scores
at 4-4.
The two broke each other again, one after the other, to level up again, 5-5, with Elias to serve next. Serving out game eleven, the 20-year-old Portuguese pulled off a winner and broke the higher ranked countryman in game twelve
to finish off the set with a marvellous breakpoint winner, 7-5, levelling up the match scores 1-1.
With the decider on its way, Elias took out the first game, nearly breaking down again, and rolled down the scoreboard, 1-0. Gaining his momentum, the 20-year-old clawed down game two breaking the higher ranked rival to lead the
set with straight games win, 2-0.
Gil, however, struck back and levelled up with a break-n-serve, 2-2. Breaking each other again in back-to-back games, the two evened up at 3-3. Boiling up the match, the two held their serves to level up again at 4-4 and then on
5-5 before the young Portuguese made his move.
Redoing the second set scores, Elias once again served out game eleven and broke the higher ranked in game twelve to finish off the set 7-5, and the match with a remarkable recovery.
Through into the semis, the young Portuguese will now play Brazilian Julio Silva to decider the final round seat winner of the ATP Challenger Tour event.
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