Ivan Ljubicic edges past Mikhail Youzhny into semi-final – China Open 2011
World number 26, Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia, had to go through some tough time in the contest before he wrapped up victory against the 37th ranked Russian, Mikhail Youzhny, in the quarter-final clash of the China Open
on Friday afternoon.
The contest was played on the outdoor hard courts of the Olympic Green Tennis Center, in Beijing, China, with the unseeded Croat finishing the matchup in three sets, 7-6(4), 6-7(4), 6-2. Ljubicic battled for two hours and fifty
two minutes of play before he confirmed a berth in the semi-final round of the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour 500 event.
It was Ljubicic’s 24th victory of the current ATP season and the eighth one against Youzhny in singles encounters. He pocketed the opener in a tie breaker round to get one up early in the game but the crafty Russian
made his way back in the competition by taking the following set after a tough competition. Ljubicic remained focused in the game and wound up victory in the third set to extend his lead to 8-1 against the Russian in the all-time head-to-head series.
“I felt like if I was feeling the ball a little bit better today. I could have won much it more easier, because I felt he was struggling from the beginning,” Ljubicic said. “But my shots just were not there, and I had to end up
just pushing the ball in and running and trying to make him miss as much as possible. In the third, I kind of let it go a little bit more and tried to take initiative in the rallies here and there. Not too much, but just kind of to change the rhythm a little
bit. I guess he was tired as well in the third set, and it worked out well for me.”
The Croatian veteran cracked 17 thudding aces in the matchup, with Youzhny coughing nine expensive double faults to assist Ljubicic to victory. The Croat converted five of his 20 break opportunities in the matchup to come out as
the winner and the Russian finished on the losing side with three break point conversions.
Ljubicic will take on his doubles team partner and fellow compatriot, Marin Cilic, in the semi-final round on Saturday, to battle for a place in the final of the China Open. Cilic won his quarter-final match against South Africa’s
Kevin Anderson in a three-setter, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-1, to book a date with Ljubicic in the semis.
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