Marcel Zimmerman battles past Adrian Ungur into final eight – Ortisei Challenger 2011
German qualifier Marcel Zimmermann survived a seesaw match against the third seeded Romanian Adrian Ungur in the second round of the Ortisei Challenger 2011. The two players had taken up the gauntlet on carpet
courts of Urtijei in Italy and after one hour and fifty one minutes the German qualifier had managed to survive a mid match lapse of 6-4, 7-6(1), 6-4 against the third seeded Romanian.
The first round of the match was initiated by Ungur, who had won the service toss and he quickly eased himself on the scoreboard at 1-0. Following behind was Zimmerman, who too held his serve and placed himself on the scoreboard
at 1-1. It was in the third game that Ungur had double faulted on his second serve and endorsed a break to his adversary.
Mean while, Zimmerman had managed to reel off two straight games against his opponent and took a mini lead of 3-1 at the end of the fourth game. In subsequent four games, each player bagged a two service games each and the score
had shifted to 5-3 at the end of the eighth game with Zimmerman leading the set. Although he was unable to close the opening set in the following game, he managed to so in the tenth game by restricting his adversary to only one game.
Commencing the second set was Ungur and he got off to bad start as he was unable to hold his service game. Nonetheless, Zimmerman had bagged two games and took the mini lead. In the next four games each player held their respective
serves and the score had progressed to 4-2 at the end of the sixth game.
However, Ungur was able to completely mitigate the deficit with a hold of serve in the seventh game and by breaking back to tie the score at 4-4 by the end of the eighth game. In the following four games the players once more matched
a blow for a blow, with neither player wanting the other to take the lead and the score was eventually pushed into a tiebreaker at the end of the twelfth game.
The head-to-head run had lost its vapour in the tiebreaker and first to take the lead was Ungur. Moreover, with a series of breaks and holds he managed to rush past his adversary to clinch the tiebreaker at 7-1. In doing so; Ungur
had managed to clog the second set and by the end of the first two sets, each player had bagged a set apiece.
Opening the decisive set was Zimmerman and once again the two were locked into a fierce battle, matching an eye for an eye the score kept tied for the first eight games. However, Zimmerman cut the goose chase and brought on his
A-game as he bagged his last service game, he was now only game away from victory. As Ungur served, he erred and endorsed the match to his adversary.
The German qualifier managed to secure a berth in the quarterfinal of the event where he will be facing American Rajeev Ram.
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