Kevin Anderson, Bobby Reynolds through to the second round – US Men’s Clay Court Championship 2012
Kevin Anderson beats Joao Souza 6-3, 6-4
Fifth seed, Kevin Anderson of South Africa, ousted Joao Souza of Brazil in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in the first round at the US Men’s Clay Court Tennis Championship in Houston on Wednesday. The match lasted for an hour and 54 minutes.
Anderson and Souza started by losing their serve in the first four games, evening out the score at 2-2. The Brazilian dropped it again in the eighth and failed to pull back, handing over the set to Anderson at 3-6.
The South African and Souza were erratic on their second serves, committing four and three double faults respectively. Though, Anderson was impressive on the first ones, banging in a couple of aces and claiming 12 of the 16 points
on them.
The Johannesburg, South Africa resident snatched a break in the very first game of the second set and held his next serve to attain a 2-0 lead but Souza grabbed the following two, equalling the score at 2-2. Anderson struck again
in the ninth game and closed it at 6-4.
The 6ft 8in tall pounded three aces and pocketed 12 of the 17 points on the first serves. Souza fired four aces but he managed to convert just 15 of the 29 first deliveries into points.
Anderson will face American, Sam Querrey, in the round of 16.
Bobby Reynolds defeats Ivo Karlovic 6-7(5), 2-6, 6-3
To make the second upset of the day, Bobby Reynolds of USA survived the drubbing in the second set, toppling eighth seed, Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-3 and advancing to the second round.
Karlovic made the initial breakthrough, striking in the second game of the opening set and consolidating on it to build a 3-0 lead. However, Reynolds came back to level the score at 4-4. The rest of it went with the serve to take
it to a tie-breaker, where the American captured two consecutive points in the end, sealing it 7-6(5).
The Croatian started the second set in almost the same manner as the first, striking early and racing to a 4-0 lead. Karlovic maintained his lead till the end this time, serving it out at 5-2.
Reynolds did not get under pressure, hitting a blow in the eighth game of the final set and capitalising on it to triumph 6-3.
The American survived 19 aces from the tallest player on the WTA tour. Both players delivered four double faults.
Reynolds will meet compatriot, Ryan Sweeting, in the second round.
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