Grega Zemlja, Robby Ginepri post contrasting wins to meet in the quarterfinals – Van Open 2011 CH
In his second round match at the Van Open 2011 on Thursday, Grega Zemlja of Slovenia sent down an alarming six double faults before squeaking past Steve Johnson of America in three tight sets. Although the world No.130 made worrying
start to match, he ultimately enjoyed an imperious 6(5)-7, 6-2, 6-3 win over the American.
Just like the aforementioned victory over the Canadian Steven Diez in the first round match of the tournament, Zemlja was in superior form, playing first strike tennis at its best with mighty serves and unrelenting assault from
the ground. He was also in excellent form on the big points, saving five of his six break points and fending off four of Johnson’s.
For a moment or two it looked as though there might be something in the Hollyburn Country Club air, as Steve Johnson gave the No3 seed, the wobbles taking the first set to a tie-breaker and subsequently clinching it with a 7-6(5)
score.
There was a wheeze as the American wildcard took the Slovenian, three years his senior and 502 places higher in the world rankings, to a tie-break in the first set. In the end, though, the 21-year-old American did not quite possess
the power to overwhelm and Zemlja winning the remaining sets 6-2, 6-3.
He now moves on into the quarterfinals of the tournament where he will meet Robby Ginepri of America, who brushed aside eighth-seeded Australian, Greg Jones in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 to reach the last eight.
Impressively, Ginepri brushed off the pressure to focus on the task in front of him. Not that he did so without nerves. Opening the match, he lost his serve in the first game and, faltering, took time to adjust into the occasion,
against someone who was ranked 180 places higher than him.
There were many chances for the eighth-seed to get back on his serve in the match, but the American player was too brave and too determined, breaking the Australian seed to lead 5-1 and then taking the set 6-2.
Jones kept struggling to limit his error count throughout the match and a weak second serve made light work for Ginepri, as he could only score a meagre 50 percent behind his second serve in the opener.
In the second set, the eighth seed did his best and hung on to drag his opponent to 2-all. But at 2-3, just as Jones could have levelled the tie and had taken the match to a third set, he threw away the chance hitting a forehand
long and the moment was gone, allowing Ginepri to enter the quarterfinals where he will meet third-seeded Greg Zemlja.
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