Marin Cilic, Viktor Troicki upset in the first round – Delray Beach International 2012
Jarkko Nieminen beats Marin Cilic 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
World number 43, Jarkko Nieminen, upset second seed Marin Cilic in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, in the opening round at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championship in Florida, USA on Tuesday.
Nieminen was looking strong from the start of the match, as he captured first three games to take a 3-0 advantage. The Finn made the most of his lead and won the opening set 6-3.
Cilic altered his game in the second set, snatching a break of serve in the fourth game to go ahead 3-1. Nieminen came back to reduce the trail to 4-3 but Cilic claimed next couple of games to seal the set 6-3.
In the decider, Nieminen raced to a 3-1 lead. Cilic made a last try as he clinched his opponent’s serve in the fifth game but he could not continue and lost three straight games, dropping the set 2-6.
It took a total of one hour and 41 minutes for Cilic to clinch the match.
Expressing himself, a disappointed Cilic said, "It was my first match for a while and it felt a little bit awkward I would say. I played some moments pretty good but I think my fitness level, not great. ... I expected that to happen."
Cilic’s coach Bob Brett said, “He is very disappointed. But I don’t think he should be. He played some good tennis and has to realize coming back is a process.”
The Finn is drawn to play Dudi Sela of Israel in the second round.
Steve Darcis upsets Viktor Troicki 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Steve Darcis of Belgium made the second big upset of the day, as he rallied to beat third seed Viktor Troicki in three sets 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 and moved to the round of 16. Darcis required two hours and 13 minutes to post win over the
Serbian.
Darcis and Troicki exchanged two breaks of serve in the first eight games and evened out the score at 4-4. However, in the last two, Troicki was unable to win a single point and lost the set 4-6.
Both players failed to hold their serve in the first two games, taking the score to 1-1. Troicki struck the blow in the ninth and capitalised on it to win the second set 6-4.
In a similar fashion to the opener, Darcis broke each other twice in the first eight games to equalise the score at 4-4. Darcis drew the final blood, as he served out the set at 5-4.
Darcis will take on the 2010 champion, Ernests Gulbis of Latvia, in the round of 16.
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