Mate Delic defeats George Morgan in the first round of Boys’ Singles – French Open 2011
Mate Delic of Croatia battled past British George Morgan in the first round of boys’ singles event at French Open in Paris on Sunday. Delic took two hours and 26 minutes to beat his opponent in a tough match.
The Croatian and Morgan broke each other once in the first twelve games of the opening set to square off the score at 6-6, forcing a tie-break. The Brit claimed three mini-breaks in the tie-break, capturing it 7-3.
Morgan delivered four aces and 50 percent of the first deliveries, clinching 79 percent of the points on them in the first set. While, Delic had a low first serve percentage as he hit a meagre 42 percent of the first serves and
converted 62 percent of them into points. Both players committed a single double fault in the opening set. Morgan capitalised on one of the two break points on Delic’s serve and saved two of the three break points on his own serve in the first set.
In the second set, Delic took an early lead as he broke Morgan in the second game to go ahead 2-0. The Brit broke back in the seventh game and held his serve in the next game to equalise the score at 4-4. The next four games went
with the serve, taking the set to a tie-break. Delic dominated the tie-break from the start and won it 7-3.
The Croatian kept his first serve percentage at 50 percent and won 71 percent of the points on the first serve in the second set. Morgan hit a couple of aces but the ninth seed had a poor first serve percentage, hitting just 35
percent of the first serves. The British won 83 percent of the first service points in the second set. Both players won 32 percent of the receiving points in the second set. Delic converted one of the two break points he received and saved two of the three
break points he faced in the second set.
Delic and Morgan exchanged a single break of serve in the first ten games of the third set and equalised the score at 5-5. The Croatian broke his opponent in the eleventh game and succeeded in serving out the set at 6-5.
The 18-year-old improved his serve, firing two aces and 65 percent of the first serves in the deciding set. Delic converted 75 percent of the first serves and 38 percent of the second serves into points in the third set. The Croatian
troubled Morgan with his fine service returns, winning 47 percent of the points on them. The unseeded won both break point chances he created in the final set.
Delic is slated to play Alexios Halebian of USA in the second round. The American beat French Michael Bois in three sets 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round.
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