Llodra/Zimonjic rally past Lipsky/Ram into the semi-finals – French Open 2011
French/Serbian pair of Michael Llodra and Nenad Zimonjic came back after losing the first set to beat Scott Lipsky and Rajeev Ram of USA in three sets 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Tuesday. The match lasted for an hour and 33 minutes.
Lipsky and Ram broke the French/Serbian pair in the third game and held their serve in the next game to take a 3-1 lead. The Americans broke their opponents again in the seventh game and served out the set at 5-2.
The unseeded team hit two aces and 69 percent of the first serves in the opening set, claiming 77 percent of the points on them. Llodra and Zimonjic had the same first serve percentage but they lagged behind in the conversion rate as they managed to convert 67 percent of the first serves into points. Lipsky and Ram troubled their opponents with their aggressive returns, winning 48 percent of the receiving points in the first set. The Americans converted two of the four break points on their opponents’ serve and saved the only break point on their own serve in the opening set.
Fighting back in the second set, Llodra and Zimonjic broke Lipsky and Ram in the second game and held their next service game to blaze forward to a 3-0 lead. The French/Serbian pair did not allow their opponents to break back and won the set 6-3.
The fourth seeds fired three aces and 61 percent of the first serves, bagging 74 percent of the points on them in the second set. While, Lipsky and Ram kept their first serve percentage at 59 percent, converting 55 percent of the first serves into points. The Americans won 30 percent of the receiving points in the second set. Whereas, Llodra and Zimonjic claimed 44 percent of the return points in the second set. The French/Serbian pair converted one of the seven break point opportunities they created and did not face any break point on their own serve in the second set.
The fifth ranked team thrashed their opponents in the deciding set. Llodra and Zimonjic allowed their opponents to win only one game, breaking the American duo thrice and winning the set 6-1.
The French/Serbian team had a satisfactory first serve percentage as they hit 50 percent of the first serves, winning 80 percent of the points on them. On the other hand, Lipsky and Ram had a better first serve percentage, hitting 62 percent of the first serves. However, the Americans had a poor conversion rate as they won just 38 percent of the first service points in the third set.
Llodra and Zimonjic will meet Belarusian/Canadian pair of Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor in the semi-finals.
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