Gilles Muller outshines Richard Berankis in 2nd round - Open De Rennes 2011 CH
Top seed Gilles Muller got the better off Lithuanian Richard Berankis in the second round of the Open De Rennes 2011. On Thursday the 14th of October both the challengers battled it out on the indoor hard courts in Rennes, France. Luxembourgian world number 42 took only seventy six minutes to outshine his Lithuanian adversary in straight sets of 6-2, 6-4.
The players were not meeting for the first time and were aware of each other’s capabilities. The last time they had battled it out was at the Hollyburn Country Club in Vancouver, Canada during the second round of the ODLUM Brown Van Open.
The top seed decided to go first as he had just won the service toss and he got off to an amazing start as he skilfully held his serve of the opening game. Trailing behind was the Lithuanian, who too expertly held his serve and tied the score at 1-1 on the scoreboard. The score progressed on even terms at 2-2, then 3-3 and finally at 4-4 as the players constantly held serve for the following six games.
It was extremely nerve wrecking for both the players as they were matching a blow for a blow and neither one slipped but in the last game as Berankis came under pressure he double faulted on his second serve and gifted away the set point. Muller on the other hand, bagged the opening set and was now one up in the match.
The second set of the match was initiated by Muller and he successfully held his serve to open the scoreboard at 1-0. Following in his footsteps was the world number 125 Lithuanian and he too bagged his first service game and placed himself beside Muller at 1-1 on the scoreboard. In the following two games Muller shifted into top gear and utilized the serve-break technique to take a mini lead of 3-1 by the end of the fourth game.
During the fifth and the sixth games the players each had bagged a service game and the scoreboard had shifted to 4-2. Amidst the second last game, Muller smashed a marvellous backhand winner and secured his service game. The serve switched and it was Berankis’ turn to serve but as she smashed a backhand winner it went wayward and he erred endorsing the match point to his adversary.
Muller had not only been able to secure a place in the quarterfinal of the event but also took the lead in the head-to-head at 2-1. The top seed will now be facing French Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the round of eight of the event.
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