Jarkko Nieminen beats Marc Lopez in the final qualifying round match of Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell
World number 57 Jarkko Nieminen of Finland came back from one set down to defeat wild card entrant Marc Lopez, ranked 722nd in the world, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) in the final round of the qualifying draw at the Barcelona Open
Banc Sabadell on Sunday. The Finn took two hours and 23 minutes to oust his opponent.
Nieminen did not have a good start to the match as he was thrashed in the opening set. The 29-year-old managed to claim just a single game in the first set, losing it 1-6.
The Finn delivered a couple of aces and the same number of double faults in the opening set. While, Lopez managed to hit just a single ace and only 47 percent of the first serves. The Spaniard converted three of the five break
points he received in the first set.
Lopez was looking to seal the match quickly as he broke Nieminen in the second game and held his serve in the next game to take a 3-0 lead in the second set. However, the Finn fought back and won six of the next seven games, clinching
the second set 6-4.
Nieminen delivered 54 percent of the first serves in the second set, winning 64 percent of the points on them. On the other hand, Lopez improved his serves as compared to the opening set, hitting 64 percent of the first serves
and converting 70 percent of them into points in the second set.
In the deciding set, both players broke each other once in the first twelve games to level the score at 6-6, forcing a tie-break. Nieminen hit a forehand winner to claim the only mini-break in the tie-break, winning it 7-5.
The Finn neither hit an ace nor committed any double fault in the final set. The left-handed fired 60 percent of the first serves and won 74 percent of the points on them in the third set. In comparison, Lopez delivered a single
ace and hit one double fault in the deciding set. The Spaniard saved four of the five break points he faced in the final set.
Nieminen is featuring at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell for the ninth time in his career. In his maiden appearance here, the Finn lost to Argentinean Juan Ignacio Chela in straight sets 4-6, 4-6 in the first round. Nieminen reached
the quarter-finals in 2006, losing to Rafael Nadal of Spain in three sets 6-4, 4-6, 3-6 in a tough battle. The six feet one inch tall was defeated by Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil in straight sets 4-6, 4-6 in the opening round last year.
The Finn is drawn to meet world number 68 Carlos Berlocq of Argentina in the opening round of the main draw.
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