Ivo Klec upsets injury-stricken Vasek Pospisil in round one – Orange Open Guadeloupe 2012 CH
Slovakian qualifier, Ivo Klec, was leading 4-6, 7-6(5), 3-2 before the ninth seed, Vasek Pospisil, was forced to retire due to an injury at the Orange Open Guadeloupe 2012 on Wednesday. As a result, Klec secured a place in the second round at this ATP (Association
of Tennis Professionals) Challenger Tour event held in Le Gosier, Guadeloupe.
The Slovakian veteran earned a retirement victory over the world number 111 in two hours and four minutes. Klec was broken down once in the match but held his remaining serves to oust the Canadian and advanced into the round of 16 at Stade Lambert Lamby.
The 21-year-old made quick in-roads as he high-spiritedly entered the opening set and kept his serve in the first game. He maintained consistency in his game and continued plucking remaining serves with poise. Pospisil got the breakthrough in the last game
and after cashing in the break opportunity, he conquered the set with a 6-4 score line.
Ranked 489th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Klec re-structured in the follow-up set and kept his serve to love in the second game, eventually squaring the scores at 1-1. The Slovak then smashed angled shots down the line
to pluck remaining serves. However, he failed to capitalise on any break chance and took the set to a tie-breaker. Klec went 3-0 up before registering the equaliser with a 7-6(5) win.
Klec, who is 31-year-old, carried his momentum in the third set and slid his serve in the opening game. After the Slovak kept his serve in the fifth game, Pospisil felt severe pain and subsequently pulled out from the tournament.
Next up for the qualifier is the Portuguese contender, Gastao Elias, who defeated Russia’s Alexander Kudryavtsev in straight sets to set-up this match.
The fourth seed, Edouard Roger-Vasselin, will also feature in the second round. The French rising star was broken down four times but capitalised on six out of nine break opportunities to seal the match with a 6-4, 7-5 victory against Belgium’s Maxime Authom.
He took full advantage of the 10 double faults the Belgian spilled to earn the limelight.
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