Jarkko Nieminen annihilates James Blake to take the final seat – If Stockholm Open 2011
Jarkko Nieminen, Finnish world No. 73, disrupted the American world No.69, James Blake as the two met for the 4th time at the If Stockholm Open. Playing the semi-final this time, Nieminen took out the higher ranked competitor
for the second time in history beating him 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-2 in a long 2 hour and three minutes hard court match on Saturday, 22nd October.
Fighting it all for the final round spot, Nieminen won the toss and started off the first set. Blake, breaking world No.73 in the opening game, took the lead, however, was unable to maintain the lead. Breaking back, Finn levelled
up and served out game 3 to lead the set, 2-0.
Battling out hard, the two rallied out games and levelled up at 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and on 5-5. Unable to break any more, the set went into a tiebreaker with Nieminen to serve first. With the two winning a point one after the other,
levelled p at 5-5 before Nieminen finished off winning the next two points, 7-5, bagging the set, 7-6(5).
Falling down in set 1, Blake followed up served the starter for set 2 rolling down the scoreboard, 1-0. Finn, however, levelled up next, 1-1. Win one more win for each of the two, 2-2, Nieminen broke Blake in game 5, however, was
unable to hold the lead and lost the next serve, 3-3.
Serving out next, American led the set, 4-3, followed up by a winner by the 30-year-old Finn, 4-4. Levelling up at 5-5, Blake served out game 11, and broke his competitor in the 12th, 7-5, winning the set and levelled
up the match scores to 1-1.
As the match boiled up with their fierce rivalry, Blake went on to open up set 3 however, broke down early losing the first game, 0-1. Breaking back, American levelled up the scores, 1-1 yet could not hang on to serve out next.
Nieminen went fantastic as he broke his rival twice in the opening 3 games.
Extending his lead to 3-1, Finn bagged another winner followed up by Blake winning his 2nd of the set, 3 -2. Maintaining his lead, Nieminen pocketed another winner, 4-2, before he struck to end up the match. Breaking
the American, the world No.73 took himself one more win away from the Finnal seat, 5-2.
Serving out the final game of the match, game 8, the veteran Finn raised up his hands winning away a tough match and his 2nd win against the American former world No.4.
Through to the final round of the ATP World Tour 250 event, Nieminen will now play the top seed, Gael Monfils, world No.10, for the Stockholm crown on Sunday, 23rd October.
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