Lukas Lacko cruises past Sergei Bubka in the qualifiers – Australian Open 2012
Seventh seed Lukas Lacko trounced over the Ukrainian Sergei Bubka in straight sets in the qualifying completion at the Australian Open 2012 on Saturday. He registered a 6-2, 6-4 success over the world number 153 to advance into the main draw of this Grand Slam event taking place on the hard courts in Melbourne, Australia.
Ranked 118th in the South African Airways ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour Rankings, Lacko required 72 minutes to overpower the 25th seed in their fourth meeting. He not only avenged his loss at the Penza Challenger last year but also entered the main draw of this prestigious tennis tournament which holds 2000 ATP rankings points for the winner.
After Bubka held his serve in the opening game, the 24-year-old Slovak unleashed barrage of hard-hitting strokes to wipe out next five games in a row. He then held his serve once more and sealed the opener with a 6-2 victory. Lacko bagged entire serves without facing any breakpoint and cashed in two out of three break opportunities.
Lacko kept momentum flowing into the next set and smoothly plucked in entire serves without facing any breakpoint. He capitalised on the only break chance in the seventh game and clinched the set by winning six games to four.
The Slovak made no errors and produced a better first serve share of 63 percent as compared to Bubka’s 57 percent. He also clinched an amazing 26 out of 30 points on it and hammered three winners.
Reaching his career best rank at 60 in 2010, Lacko is aiming to recreate his magic this season. He recently clinched a title at the Bratislava Challenger in November 2011 and despite losing in the qualifiers at the Qatar Open last week, the Slovak displayed his true colours in this major hard court event. He crushed Czech Jaroslav Pospisil and Slovene Aljaz Bedene with bagels to set-up this meeting.
Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk will accompany the seventh seed into the main draw. He slew Dutch with double breadsticks in 56 minutes in their second meeting. The German blocked both breakpoints he encountered and cashed in five out of nine break chances.
Tags: