James Blake overcomes Ernests Gulbis to reach second round – Atlanta Tennis Championships 2011
World number 91 James Blake of USA fought back after losing the first set to defeat world number 81 Ernests Gulbis of Latvia in three sets 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-2 in the opening round of Atlanta Tennis Championships at Racquet Club of
the South in Atlanta on Monday. The American took two hours and 39 minutes to overcome his opponent in a marathon match.
Blake was first to take lead as he broke the Latvian in the sixth game, taking a 4-2 lead. Gulbis broke back in the ninth game and held his next service game to equalise the score at 5-5. The Latvian broke again in the eleventh
game and served out the set in the next game, winning it 7-5.
Gulbis fired 63 percent of the firsts serves and seven aces in the opening set. The Latvian made full use of his big first serves, claiming a whopping 84 percent of the first service points in the first set. The six feet and three
inches tall won two of the nine break points he received and saved one of the two break points he faced in the opening set.
The Latvian and Blake exchanged one break of serve in the second set, equalising the score at 6-6 to force a tie-break. The American needed a single mini-break in the tie-break to claim it 7-5.
The 31-year-old delivered 60 percent of the first serves and five aces in the second set. On the other hand, Gulbis served even better, hitting nine aces and 65 percent of the first deliveries. However, Blake had the advantage
of returning better than his opponent as he bagged 35 percent of the first service points compared to 29 percent by the Latvian. The American converted one of the four break points he received on Gulbis’ serve and saved one of the two break points on his own
serve in the second set.
After claiming the second set with the closest of margins, Blake thrashed the Latvian as he dropped just two games and broke his opponent twice to win the deciding set 6-2.
The American did not serve well, delivering just 44 percent of the first serves and committing four double faults in the third set. However, he sealed an incredible 43 percent of the first return points. The Florida resident capitalised
on two of the three break point opportunities he created and did an amazing job to save all the nine break points he faced on his own serve in the final set.
Blake is slated to play third seed, compatriot John Isner in the round of 16.
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