Marcos Baghdatis, Horacio Zeballos through to the second round of BMW Open
Marcos Baghdatis ousts Julien Benneteau 7-6(2), 6-3
World number 25 Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus prevailed over world number 83 Julien Benneteau of France in straight sets 7-6(2), 6-3 in the first round at the BMW Open in Munich on Monday. Baghdatis needed one hour and 40 minutes
to undo his opponent.
In the opening set, none of the two players was able to break other’s serve, taking it to a tie-break. The Cypriot thrashed Benneteau in the tie-break, claiming three mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-2.
Baghdatis served brilliantly as he fired eight aces and 67 percent of the first serves in the opening set. The Cypriot won 88 percent of the first service points in the opening set. The 25-year-old did not face any break point
in the first set. Whereas, his opponent saved all the three break points he faced in the opening set.
The Cypriot broke his opponent in the ninth game of the second set, clinching it 6-3. The right-handed delivered four aces and 43 percent of the first serves, converting 60 percent of them into points in the second set.
Baghdatis is slated to meet world number 69 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in the second round. Dimitrov defeated German Andreas Beck, ranked 110th in the world, in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 in the first round.
Horacio Zeballos beats Robert Kendrick 6-4, 6-4
In another opening round match, Argentinean Horacio Zeballos, ranked 113th in the world, ousted world number 84, American Robert Kendrick in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to qualify for the second round.
Zeballos needed a single break of serve in the first set, winning it 6-4. The Argentinean served quite well, firing five aces and 78 percent of the first serves in the opening set. The 25-year-old converted a whopping 86 percent
of his first serves into points in the first set. Zeballos capitalized on one of the six break points opportunities he created in the opening set.
The proceedings in the second set were not much different from the first set as the Argentinean broke his opponent once to claim the set 6-4. Zeballos was exceptional with his serves, firing eight aces and 83 percent of the first
serves in the second set. The 26-year-old won an incredible 89 percent of the first service points in the second set. The left-handed did not save any break point and converted one of the four break points he received in the second set.
Zeballos is drawn to play world number 21 Marin Cilic of Croatia in the second round. The Croatian, seeded third at the championship, prevailed over Italian Simone Bolelli in straight sets 7-5, 7-6(4) in the first round.
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