Marco Crugnola beats Stephane Robert to reach the quarterfinal – International Tennis Trophy 2011 CH
Marco Crugnola of Italy continued his ascent at the 2011 International Tennis trophy, an ATP Challenger tour, securing a last eight spot for himself as he beat top seeded
Stephane Robert of France in the second round of the tournament in two sets 7-5, 6-4, at the clay courts in Manerbio, Italy.
Participating in his eleventh ATP (Association of tennis professional) Challenger tour of the year, Crugnola moved past compatriot Alessio di Mauro in the first round before
he defeated the top-seeded French, taking not more than one hour and thirty two minutes of play.
Although, Crugnola had never played Robert at any of the ATP Tour occasions, he displayed his tremendous tennis skills to enjoy a straight, yet not so simple, victory over
Robert. Serving a whopping ten aces and losing only sixteen points behind his first serve, Crugnola was able to clinch his straight sets victory in just 92 minutes of play.
As the first set started, it looked as if the Frenchman was anxious to show off his tremendous tennis skills in the opening stages of the game, saving three of six break
points to grab the early advantage. But as soon as the 28-year-old Crugnola found the range of his fiery ground stokes, Robert’s game went from being good to bad and from there on he started down the road to ruin. Robert, who looked pretty startled by the
efficiency of his opponent, remained unable to bring any tautness in the ending stages of the first set and lost the opener with a difference of seven points in total.
Although, the Frenchman put up a decent fight against the Italian qualifier who had scored a whopping six aces and 55 percent of points in total, Robert looked completely
incompetent to put Crugnola’s feet to the fire and lost the first set with five games to seven.
During the first set, it was Crugnola’s excellent footwork and incredible shot placement that handed him the opener, although his play dipped in the opening games, he tremendously
returned in the ensuing game to clinch the early advantage.
Crugnola entered the second set, following the pretty similar game plan and continued to land his impressive shots while taking advantage of any slight miscues from the
top-seeded Robert. Although Robert somehow managed to square off the score to 4-4, Crugnola broke again and eventually won the set with six games to Robert’s four.
Emerging victorious, he now moves on into the quarterfinals of the tournament where he is scheduled to meet Adrian Ungur of Romania.
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