Julien Benneteau, Michael Russell advance to the second round – Wimbledon Championships 2012
Julien Benneteau defeats Gilles Muller 6-2, 7-5, 7-6(4)
Ranked 32nd in the world, France’s Julien Benneteau put away some late resistance from the world number 53, Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, in the first round of the Wimbledon Championships in England. The Frenchman toppled
his opponent in straight sets 6-2, 7-5, 7-6, on Monday afternoon.
Benneteau dominated the first set from its start till the end, as he allowed Russell to claim only two games till the end, breaking him twice and holding all of his own to triumph 6-2.
In the second set, the Frenchman and Luxembourger made a stable start, as they held their serve in the first six games to level the score at 3-3. They exchanged a break of serve in the next four to even out the proceedings at 5-5.
Benneteau struck in the 11th and made the most of it to win 7-5.
None of the two players dropped their serves in the final set, taking the score to 6-6 and forcing a tie-breaker. Benneteau grabbed a couple of mini-breaks and consolidated on them to capture it 7-6(4).
The Frenchman won most of the points on his serve, banging in a total of 15 huge aces in the match. He bombarded 41 winners and committed only 11 unforced errors in the entire contest.
Benneteau is slated to face Michael Russell of USA in the second round.
Michael Russell beats Adrian Menendez-Maceiras 6-3, 6-1, 7-6(7)
USA’s Michael Russell, ranked 112th in the world, scored a one-sided win over the world number 212, Adrian Menendez-Maceiras of Spain, to reach the second round. The American defeated his opponent in straight sets 6-3,
6-1, 7-6(7).
Russell claimed a breakthrough in the fourth game and won his following serve to gain a 4-1 lead. The American did not lose any of his own serves and closed it 6-3.
After clinching the first set easily, Russell’s confidence was at its peak and he played near flawlessly in the second. The 34-year-old broke the Spaniard three times and allowed him to win only one game till the end, closing it
6-1.
Menendez-Maceiras raised the level of his game in the final set, as both players held their serve throughout and squared off the proceedings at 6-6 to force a tie-breaker. It was a tough battle later on, as none of the two players
was willing to give other the lead. They went neck to neck till 7-7 but it was Russell who drew the final blood, grabbing two points in a row and capturing it 7-6(7).
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