Martin Klizan shocks Filippo Volandri to lift the title – Morocco Tennis Tour 2012
Slovakian tennis star, Martin Klizan, surprised everyone after upsetting the top seed, Filippo Volandri, in straight sets at the Morocco Tennis Tour 2012 on Saturday. He penned down a 6-2, 6-3 victory over the world number 60 to triumph the title at this
ATP Challenger Tour event held in Rabat, Morocco.
The sixth seed showed exceptional abilities to tumble over the Italian star in 68 minutes. He lost his serve once in the second set but broke the veteran’s serve five times to pocket the match in straight sets.
The 22-year-old stormed into the red clay courts of Morocco and drew the first blood in the opening game, subsequently leaping to a 2-0 lead. He then maintained his intensity and kept remaining serves without facing any breakpoint. The Slovak capitalised
on another break chance in the seventh game and sealed the opener by winning six games to two.
Klizan kept his spark lit in the following set and after getting the coveted break in the third game, he went 2-1 up. Despite squandering his lead in the very next game, the Slovak blasted massive backhands and wiped out the last four games in a row, eventually
pulling out the set with a 6-3 win.
Overall, the lower ranked produced a poor first serve share of 56 per cent in contrast with the Italian’s 78 per cent but amazingly marked 21 out of 25 points on it. He all fully capitalised on the several errors and double faults Volandri spilled and ruled
throughout the match. The Slovak then capped the match by seeking nine aces and clicking on five of them.
The highest ranked player of the event on the other side lost only a single set before reaching the final. He lost the opener against the Russian rising star, Andrey Kuznetsov, in the semi-final clash.
The left-handed Slovak also displayed awe-inspiring skills throughout the tournament and reached this spot without losing a set. He crushed France’s Jonathan Dasnieres De Veig with a breadstick in the opening round. The Slovak then dumped Evgeny Donskoy
in straight sets before crushing the Spanish lucky loser, Guillermo Olaso, with a bagel to reach the semis. Klizan then registered a straight set victory against Simon Gruel of Germany before securing this final spot.
Klizan is enjoying was enjoying a monotonous season before reaching this event. He made quarter-final berths at the Heilbronn Challenger and Bergamo Challenger before entering this tournament.
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