James Blake knocks out defending champion David Nalbandian – Legg Mason Tennis Classic 2011
In the most anticipated match at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Centre in Washington, former titlist James Blake scored an upset win against the eighth seed defending champion David Nalbandian, delighting the home crowd in
the stands. The American Blake sealed the deal in an impressive seventy two minutes, closing the score board at 6-2, 6-4 to oust last year’s champion Argentinean Nalbandian. Blake previously won the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in 2002 and was runner up to Andy
Roddick in 2005.
The former World No. 4 American veteran Blake is blazing the comeback trail. He has risen from 173rd to 90th on the rankings ladder in just 3 months and this is his second back to back win at an ATP event for the current season.
Blake had previously scored a resounding 6-3, 6-3 win in his first round match against Japan’s Tatsuma Ito at the tournament. Talking with the media after his match, a jubilant Blake said, "That's the best I have served in probably two years, today was a whole
level better than yesterday, and it had to be."
Argentina’s No. 27 Nalbandian has had a rough year, falling down from a dominating No. 3 to his current position due to a damning surgery required to mend his hernia and torn leg muscle. With a win-loss standing of 13-6, Nalbandian
started his comeback at Wimbledon 2011 and managed to reach its third round before losing to Roger Federer in a three set debacle. "My serve didn't work very good (sic) in the beginning," admitted Nalbandian in a post match briefing. "It was tough. Second
set I served better but a little late. I was OK. I just need matches to be in good shape again."
The players’ head to head ranking now improves to 2-0 in Blake’s favour. They had last met at 2006 Tennis Masters Cup, China with Blake outlasting Nalbandian 6-4, 6-1.
Blake fired three aces and successfully hit 63% of his serves in the first set. His opponent however managed to connect only a measly 31% of his serves. Blake obliterated the struggling Nalbandian by breaking his serve in the second
and fourth games of the set while Blake himself ably diverted both of his breakpoint opportunities to win the set 6-2 easily.
The second set saw an improved serve on Nalbandian’s part, who now served at an efficiency of 62% not far from Blake’s 63%. But Nalbandian’s better serves couldn’t cope with the 4 well placed aces and another breakpoint in the
set’s opening game. Blake won the second set 6-4, amassing 69% service points in the match against Nalbandian’s 56%.
Blake will now take on eleventh seeded countryman John Isner in their third round match in Washington. Isner had effectively won his second set match 6-1, 6-3 against German Tobias Kamke later in the day on Tuesday.
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