Julien Benneteau edges Lukas Rosol in the opening round – Suisse Open Gstaad 2011
World number 111 Julien Benneteau of France defeated world number 66 Lukas Rosol of Czech Republic in three sets 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-3 in the first round of Credit Agricole Suisse Open at the Credit Agricole Arena in Gstaad, Switzerland
on Tuesday. The Frenchman took two hours and two minutes to oust his opponent in a marathon match.
Benneteau took the lead straightaway as he broke the Czech in the opening game of the first set and held his serve in the next game to grab a 2-0 lead. The French broke Rosol again in the seventh game and served out the set at
5-2.
The six feet and one inch tall hit 56 percent of the first serves and three aces in the opening set. Benneteau converted an incredible 93 percent of the first serves and 45 percent of the second serves into points in the first
set. The French saved the only break point he faced and converted two of the six break points he received in the opening set.
Rosol and Benneteau could not break each other’s serve in the second set, equalising the score at 6-6 and forcing the set into a tie-break. The Czech claimed a single mini-break in the tie-break and bagged it 8-6.
The right-handed kept his first serve percentage at 58 percent and hit a couple of aces in the second set. He won nineteen of the 22 first service points and seven of the 30 first return points in the second set. Rosol did not
face any break point on his own serve and failed to capitalise on the three break point opportunities he created on the Frenchman’s serve in the second set.
After dropping the second set with the closest of margins, Benneteau came roaring into the final set as he broke the Czech in the second game and consolidated on it to race to a 3-0 lead. The French maintained his lead throughout
the set and served it out at 5-3.
The Geneva, Switzerland resident delivered two aces and the same number of double faults in the third set. Benneteau hit 55 percent of the first deliveries and sealed 83 percent of the points on them in the deciding set. The right-handed
succeeded in saving the four break points he faced and clinched one of the two break points he received on Rosol’s serve in the deciding set.
Benneteau will face Matthias Bachinger of Germany or Spaniard Pablo Andujar in the second round.
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