Grega Zemlja rallies past Ricardas Berankis into second round – AEGON Nottingham Challenge 2012 CH
Sixth seed, Grega Zemlja of Slovenia, survived the loss of second set to outlast the 167th ranked, Ricardas Berankis, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the first round at the AEGON Nottingham Challenge in England on Tuesday. It took
the Slovenian one hour and 46 minutes to score a tough victory over his opponent.
Zemlja and Berankis started the match steadily and did not lose their serves in the first eight games to level the score at 4-4. The Slovenian hit a blow to Berankis in the ninth and won his following serve to seal it 6-4.
Ranked 142nd in the world, Zemlja pounded four aces and one double fault, having a brilliant first serve percentage of 81 and claiming 17 of the 22 points on them. He converted three of the five second deliveries and
four of the 10 second returns into points in the opener.
Zemlja and Berankis held their serve in the opening nine games of the second set, taking the score to 5-4 in favour of the latter. Serving to stay in the set at that moment, Zemlja could not win his serve and went down 4-6.
Berankis smashed a single ace and 53 percent of the first serves in the second set. He had a fantastic conversion rate on the first deliveries, as he won 15 of the 16 points. The Lithuanian put away the only break threat he came
across and utilised one of the five opportunities of his own.
The decider was exactly similar to the first set, as both players held their serve in the first eight games and squared off the proceedings at 4-4. Zemlja grabbed decisive breakthrough in the ninth and held his following serve
to capture it 6-4.
The Slovenian banged in three aces and 76 percent of the first deliveries, winning 18 of the 25 points on them. He gave a good performance on the second serves and returns, as he pocketed five of the eight and six of the 10 points
on them respectively.
Zemlja will play wild card entrant, Edward Corrie, or Czech Republic’s Jan Mertl in the round of 16.
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