Jarkko Nieminen rallies past Sergiy Stakhovsky into the third round of Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Finn Jarkko Nieminen, ranked 59th in the world, fought back from a deficit of one set to defeat Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky, ranked 36th in the world, in three sets 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4 in the second round at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome on Tuesday. The marathon match lasted for two hours and 28 minutes.
Nieminen and Stakhovsky exchanged two breaks of serve in the first 12 games of the opening set to level the score at 6-6, taking the set to a tie-break. Stakhovsky dominated the tie-break, dropping just three points and outclassing his opponent 7-3.
Stakhovsky hit two aces and 68 percent of the first deliveries, clinching 61 percent of the points on them. While, Nieminen had a lower first serve percentage, hitting 56 percent of the first serves and winning 70 percent of the points on them. Stakhovsky converted two of the six break points on his opponent’s serve but failed to save any of the two break points on his own serve in the first set.
The Ukrainian was looking to seal the match quickly as he broke his opponent in the third game of the second set and held his next service game to take a 3-1 lead. However, Nieminen broke back in the sixth game to level the score at 3-3. The Finn broke again in the eighth game and served out set at 5-3.
The 29-year-old kept his first serve percentage at 65 percent and grabbed 68 percent of the points on the first serve in the second set. On the other hand, Stakhovsky did not serve that well as he hit 62 percent of the first serves and converted just 50 percent of them into points. Nieminen was brilliant with his service returns, winning 50 percent of the points on the first service returns in the second set. The left-handed capitalized on two of the four break point opportunities he received on his opponent’s serve in the second set.
In the third set, Nieminen broke Stakhovsky in the fifth game and consolidated on the single break of serve to win the set 6-4.
The Finn was able to deliver 64 percent of the first serves in the final set, sealing 70 percent of the points on them. Nieminen won 29 percent of the points on the first service returns in the deciding set. The six feet and one inch tall saved the only break point he faced and succeeded in converting one of the four break points he received in the third set.
Nieminen is slated to play world number 7 Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic in the round of 16. The Czech thrashed Argentinean Juan Monaco in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 in the second round.
This will be the sixth meeting between Nieminen and Berdych. The Czech leads Nieminen 4-1 in the head-to-head record.
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