Llodra/ Zimonjic rally past Lindstedt/ Tecau to clinch title – Legg Mason Tennis Classic 2011
Third seeds, France’s Michael Llodra and Serbia’s Nenad Zimonjic, required a third set to conquer Swede Romanian pair of Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau and claimed their first title together at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic,
an ATP World Tour 500 series event held in Washington D.C., United States. They made an epic comeback from a set down to register a 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 10-7 victory over their opponents on Sunday.
Ranked 3rd in the South African Airways ATP World Tour doubles rankings, Llodra and Zimonjic put up a solid display of tennis to bounce from a set down and earn a three setter victory in almost two hours.
Lindstedt and Tecau, ranked one place below them in the doubles rankings, saved all three breakpoints faced to keep their entire serves. However, the in-form tandem failed to convert the only breakpoint chance they founded to their
advantage and took the set to a tie-breaker. They dominated in it to bag the opening set with a 7-6(3) win.
Llodra and Zimonjic carried their losing ways in the second set. They lost their serve in the fourth game and went down 4-1. However, the French Serbian pair re-focused and roared back to win the next three games in a row. Later
both teams held their remaining serves and the set again went to a tie-breaker. The seeds shined this time and prevailed to clinch the equaliser with a 7-6(6) win.
In the super tie-breaker, the French Serb duo perfected their co-ordination and went 8-2 up. Regardless of getting distracted afterwards and gifting many points, they netted two more points to seal the decider with a 10-7 score
line.
Overall, the much experienced tandem of Llodra and Zimonjic clobbered a slightly higher first serve share of 60 percent as compared to their opponents’ 58 percent and earned an impressive 75 percent win on it. The duo saved four
out of five breakpoints faced and converted one out of eight breakpoint opportunities to their advantage.
The winning combination of Llodra and Zimonjic are in awesome form this season. They showed their skills to reach the finals at Mutua Madrid Open and Rotterdam. Regardless of clinching their first title together, Llodra won his
nineteenth title and Zimonjic won his fortieth doubles title.
Lindstedt and Tecau on the other hand were eyeing for their third title of the season in their sixth title round appearance. They triumphed at Casablanca and Bastad before entering this hard court event in full confidence.
Tags: