Igor Sijsling beats Thiemo De Bakker in the quarterfinals – TEAN Inetrnaional 2011 CH
World number 169 Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands came back after losing the first set to dismiss world number 159, compatriot Thiemo De Bakker in three sets 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) in the quarterfinals at the TEAN International Tennis
Tournament in Alphen, Netherlands on Friday. The match lasted for two hours and two minutes.
De Bakker drew the first blood as he broke his countryman in the fourth game of the first set and held his serve in the following game, building a 4-1 lead. The Dutch capitalised on the single break of serve, capturing the set
6-3. De Bakker delivered two aces and 88 percent of the first serves, capturing eighteen of the 21 points on the first serve and two of the three points on the second serve in the first set. The right-handed sealed 21 percent of the first return points and
capitalised on one of the two break point opportunities he created on Sijsling’s serve in the opening set.
The Dutch was looking to claim the match quickly as he broke Sijsling in the opening game of the second set and capitalised on it to take a 2-0 lead. However, Sijsling broke back in the fourth game and tied the score at 2-2. The
Dutch and his country mate held their serve in the next two games, equalising the score at 3-3. It was all Sijsling show after that as he bagged three consecutive games, breaking De Bakker in the eighth game and holding his following service game to win the
set 6-3. The six feet and three inches tall gave a good first serve performance, firing a couple of aces and winning an amazing eleven of the twelve first service points. Sijsling failed to impress with his second serve, committing a couple of double faults
and winning just six of the twelve points on the second serve in the second set.
In the final set, the 24-year-old took an early lead, breaking De Bakker in the third game to go up 2-1. However, he could not consolidate on the break of serve, losing his following service game to square off the score at 2-2.
It was De Bakker’s turn to take lead as he broke his compatriot in the sixth game to go ahead 4-2. Sijsling broke back in the ninth game and captured his serve in the next game to equalise the score at 5-5. The set was taken into a tie-break and Sijsling claimed
a late mini-break to grab it 7-4.
The Dutch is drawn to face luck loser Marek Michalicka of Czech Republic in the semi-finals.
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