Gianluca Naso battles past Harri Heliovaara into final qualifier – SkiStar Swedish Open 2011
Italian Gianluca Naso, ranked 252nd in the world, fought back from one set down to rally past world number 301 Harri Heliovaara of Finland in three sets 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the second round of the qualifying draw at the
SkiStar Swedish Open in Bastad on Sunday. The Italian needed two hours and three minutes to oust his opponent in a marathon contest.
Heliovaara was first to take lead as he broke the Italian in the seventh game and held his next service game to go ahead 5-3. The Finn served out the set at 5-4.
The right-handed delivered 68 percent of the first serves and two aces in the first set. Heliovaara sealed 73 percent of the points on the first serve and 50 percent of the points on the second serve in the opening set. In comparison,
Naso had a better first serve conversion rate, converting 77 percent of the first serves into points but the Italian delivered poor second serves as he won a meagre 27 percent of the second service points in the first set.
After losing a close first set, Naso thrashed the Finn as he broke his opponent twice, dropping just two games to claim the second set 6-2.
The Italian kept his first serve percentage at 68 percent, converting a whopping 87 percent of the first serves into points in the second set. Naso hit two aces and bagged 57 percent of the second service points in the second set.
The 24-year-old made full use of his attacking returns, winning 42 percent of the points on the first returns in the second set. The Italian did not face any break point and converted two of the three break points he received on the Finn’s serve in the second
set.
Naso carried the winning momentum into the deciding set as he broke his opponent in the fourth game and held his serve in the next game to grab a 4-1 lead. Heliovaara broke back in the seventh game to reduce the trail to 3-4. However,
the Italian clinched next two games to capture the set 6-3.
Just like the second set, the right-handed put pressure on his opponent with powerful return of serve and sealed an incredible 50 percent of the receiving points in the third set. The Italian capitalised on two of the three break
point opportunities he created on Heliovaara’s serve in the final set.
Naso is drawn to take on third seed Guillermo Olaso of Spain in the final qualifier.
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