Ivan Ljubicic, Michael Llodra qualify for the second round – AEGON Championships 2011
Ivan Ljubicic defeats Ryan Sweeting 7-6(6), 6-2
Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic, ranked 37th in the world, prevailed over world number 66 Ryan Sweeting of USA in straight sets 7-6(6), 6-2 in the opening round of AEGON Championships at the Queen’s Club in London on Monday.
The Croatian needed just an hour and thirteen minutes to overpower his opponent.
Ljubicic was first to take lead as he broke Sweeting in the second game to go ahead 2-0. However, the American broke back in the third and then held his serve in the fourth to level the score at 2-2. Ljubicic and Sweeting convincingly
held their serve in the next eight games and levelled the score at 6-6, forcing a tie-break. The Croatian was able to claim a single mini-break in the tie-break and won it 8-6. The 32-year-old bulldozed Sweeting with his powerful serves, firing nine aces in
the first set.
With winning momentum on his side, Ljubicic stormed through the second set, breaking the American twice and clinching the set 6-2. The right-handed delivered a couple of aces and 74 percent of the first serves, grabbing an amazing
93 percent of the points on them in the second set.
The six feet and four inches tall was impressive with the return of service as he converted 46 percent of the first service returns into points in the second set.
Ljubicic will play either Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic or Japanese Go Soeda in the second round.
Michael Llodra beats Jaroslav Pospisil 6-3, 6-2
World number 26 Michael Llodra of France cruised past world number 123 Jaroslav Pospisil of Czech Republic in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 into the second round. The match lasted for only an hour and one minute.
Llodra needed a single break of serve in the first to bag it 6-3. The French hit four aces and 66 percent of the first deliveries, grabbing 74 percent of the points on them. In comparison, Pospisil had a lower first serve percentage
as he delivered just 54 percent of the first serves.
However, the Czech converted an incredible 92 percent of them into points. The 30-year-old failed to capitalise on any of the two break point opportunities he created on Llodra’s serve and could not save the only break point on
his own serve in the first set.
Pospisil failed to put up a fight in the second set, getting broken twice and losing the set 2-6. Llodra converted two of the three break points he received on Pospisil’s serve and did not face any break point on his own serve
in the second set.
The French will meet compatriot Julien Benneteau, ranked 74th in the world, in the second round. Benneteau defeated world number 133 Daniel Brands of Germany in three sets 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-4 in the first round.
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