Marinko Matosevic trounces Chris Guccione in opening round – Farmers Classic 2012
In a clash between two Australian tennis star, sixth seeded Marinko Matosevic bounced back to outclass his qualifying compatriot, Chris Guccione, in three sets at the Farmers Classic 2012 on Tuesday. He nudged up a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory against the world
number 510 to secure spot in the second round at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour 250 series event taking place in the campus of UCLA, Los Angeles.
The seeded Aussie made a sloppy start at the Los Angeles Tennis Center. However, he remained calm and eventually stomped over his countryman in their first encounter. After pocketing the match in one hour and 34 minutes, Matosevic not only edged in the FedEx
ATP Head 2 Head series by 1-0 against his fellow citizen but also powered into the round of 16.
Guccione made quick in-roads in the opening set and drew the first blood in the second game to leap to a 3-0 lead. He capitalised on another break chance in the sixth game and extended his lead by 5-1. Despite squandering his chance of pocketing a breadstick,
the lower ranked Aussie plucked his serve once more and clicked the opener with a 6-3 win.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina-born Matosevic found his momentum in the follow-up set. He earned the desiderated break in the fourth game and eventually took a 4-1 lead. The seed held his remaining serves with self-assurance and sealed the equaliser by winning
six games to three.
Ranked 81st in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Matosevic kept momentum rolling in the final set. He swiped his entire serves without facing any real challenge and cashed in both break chances to clinch the decider with a 6-3
score line.
Up next for Matosevic is the German star, Tobias Kamke, who battled past America’s James Blake in three sets to set up this battle.
The Dutch challenger, Igor Sijsling, will accompany Matosevic in the following round. He jolted down a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory against the local wildcard entrant, Steve Johnson, in one hour and eight minutes. Sijsling cashed in the lone break chance to carve
out the victory in his first encounter against the 22-year-old.
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