Leonardo Mayer outguns Maxime Authom in 1st round – San Marino CEPU Open 2011 CH
Tuesday saw the continuation of the 1st round matches of the San Marino CEPU Open 2011. The beautiful red clay court was levelled up at the Centro Tennis Cassa di Risparmio di Fonte dell'Ovo in the City of San Marino
as it saw Leonardo Mayer, the mighty Argentine, outgunning the Belgian world No.304, Maxime Authom. The match lasted 2 hours and 18 minutes before the Argentine overpowered his rival and won 7-5, 1-6, 6-3.
Finalist to Trani and winner of the Dortmund Challenger earlier this year, Leonardo Mayer has been undoubtedly in vicious form lately. His last 10 matches show an epic story. Winning 9 out of the last 10 matches, the Argentine
gazed up every clay circuit he played on previously.
On the contrary, challenging the Argentine clay court expert, Maxime Authom has been also playing most of his previous fixtures on clay in order to maximize his hold on the circuit. Lately the Belgian has won 7 out of his previous
10 fixtures on clay court.
The two came head to head for the second time this year. Earlier, Leonardo Mayer defeated the Belgian in the Dortmund challenger semi-final and moved on to his win.
Kicking off with the game, the first set was the longest. Serving first Authom opened up the first game and rolled the score card 1-0. Playing neck-to-neck, the two won games on respective serves levelling scores on 2-2, 3-3, 4-4
and then on 5-5. Game 11 was the table turner in set 1. Breaking the Belgian 24-year-old in game 11, the Argentine maximized, winning game 12 as well to win the set 7-5.
However, there was not just one time the tables had turned. Starting off with set 2 Authom once again served first to win game 1. The Belgian then catapulted, breaking the Argentine in game 2 and winning the next to lead 3-0 in
no time. Leonardo won game 4 but that was it. Authom mustered the remaining 3 games winning the set 6-1 and levelling the scores once again 1-1 and on to the decider.
The disparity in ranking here, proved right this time. The higher ranked Argentine got back in the game after the severe second set thrashing. Opening the set Leonardo took the lead 1-0. The scores went up gradually until game
5 and 6. Breaking each other one after the other the scores levelled up at 3-3 with the Argentine to serve next.
Winning game 7, Leonardo broke the Belgian 24-year-old in the next to lead 5-3 in the decider. Finally ending the Belgians journey, the Argentine won the final game, set and the match 7-5, 1-6 and 6-3 to sit in the 2nd round
of San Marino CEPU Open.
The 24-year-old will clash against the Spaniard Pere Riba for the quarter-final seat.
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