Marco Chiudinelli shocks Marsel Ilhan in the qualifying competition – Sony Ericsson Open 2012
Swiss wild card entrant, Marco Chiudinelli, stunned the qualifying 10th seed, Marsel Ilhan, with a breadstick at the Sony Ericsson Open 2012 on Monday. He summed up a 6-4, 6-1 victory against the 24-year-old to advance into the final round of
the qualifiers at this hard court tournament taking place at Key Biscayne, Miami.
Chiudinelli needed 78 minutes to trash the Uzbekistan-born Ilhan in straight sets. The 30-year-old broke his rival’s serve six times and not only pocketed the match but also advanced into the final qualifying round at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals)
World Tour Masters 1000 event.
Ranked 155th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Chiudinelli confidently entered the Tennis Center at Crandon Park and held his opening serve in the second game. He then maintained his intensity until he drew the first blood
in the seventh game. Regardless of losing his edge in the very next game, the Swiss cashed in his second break opportunity in the ninth game and clinched the opener with a 6-4 score line.
The Basel native kept momentum sailing into the follow-up set and stroke out the opening three games successively with two breaks of serve. In spite of losing his serve in the fourth game, Chiudinelli remained on track and bagged the last three games in
a row. He converted four out of five break opportunities to his advantage, ultimately earning the breadstick.
Summing up the wild card’s performance, Chiudinelli manifested a lower first serve share of 54 per cent but tremendously marked 19 out of 29 points on it.
He will next face the Ukrainian wild card entrant, Sergei Bubka, who also stunned a seeded player to occupy this spot. Bubka tumbled over the 14th seed, Rogerio Dutra Silva, in straight sets 76 minutes. He manipulated a lower first serve share
of 55 per cent as compared to the Brazilian’s 61 per cent but took full advantage of the several unforced errors Silva committed. The Ukrainian failed to save the only breakpoint he encountered but capitalised on three out of five break chances to pull out
the match with a 7-5, 6-4 score line.
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