Mardy Fish upsets Richard Gasquet to qualify for the fourth round at the Sony Ericsson Open
American, Mardy Fish got the better of Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the third round of the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open on Sunday.
Gasquet’s winning hopes came crashing down when the right-handed American ended his run in the fourth round, taking not more than one hour and thirty minutes. The match was concluded in Fish’s favour in two straight
sets 6-4, 6-3.
Fish’s tennis career has been going downhill since year’s start. He hasn’t made it far at any event of the season so far. His latest performance came at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells where he received
a bye into the second round but regrettably lost to wild card entrant Milos Raonic in the second round.
Being out of the picture in the season so far, Fish looked confident to built hopes on winning this match. Fish made a prevailing start to the opening set, he forced out a single ace and landed 33 per cent on his first
serves. He grappled a 75 per cent win on his first serves, a healthier conversion rate than his opponent’s lower 64 per cent. Both players exchanged equal break point opportunities and as luck would have it, won 100 per cent of them.
In an intense competition, Fish battled through the crowd and won it with a 6-4 score line.
Following his win from the first set, he governed the deciding set quite easily winning it 6-3. He registered 7 aces and a meager 39 per cent of his first serves but when it went through to the conversion rate the American
just blasted with 92 per cent win on it. On the other hand, Gasquet delivered 52 per cent of the first serves and fell behind with a meager 64 per cent. The American transformed his 100 per cent break point opportunities. Gasquet tried his best to convert
his break point opportunities into points, but lagged behind with a meager 67 per cent win and lost the second set 3-6.
Waiting in the wings, Fish is all set to show his talent at the fourth round of 2011 Sony Ericsson Open where he will challenge Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina. Both players stand at a level 2-2 head-to-head record
hoping to give it their best to go one up.
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