Matteo Marrai downs Alejandro Gonzalez in round two - Barranquilla Challenger 2012
Colombian tennis starlet, Alejandro Gonzalez, was the victim of the upset that was registered by the 25-years-old Italian professional, Matteo Marrai, in the second round of the Barranquilla Challenger. The match ended in three-sets
favouring the Italian 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.
It was a sub-standard performance by the Colombian who had already faced a defeat from the same player two years ago during the final Italy F14. Gonzalez’s resistance ended in an hour and 54 minutes that shows his inability to
hold on longer and fight until the end.
Marrai commenced the match with a serve hold and his opponent did the same. He went on to break serve in the fourth game and followed it with a thumping to consolidate the scores to 4-1. The pressure was not eased on Gonzalez and
another breakpoint went into the favour of the Italian who closed the opening set proceedings with a thumping ace.
Despite the first set battering the superior ranked Colombian took hold of the proceedings in the second set. He was the better player, however, the scores were kept together courtesy to some tight serve holds for the Italian.
A swap of breakpoints in the start and a critical breakthrough at the end for the Colombian were the highlights of the set that set up the stage for a cracking battle in the third set.
It was a good opportunity for the 255th ranked Colombian to wipe off the first set misery but he went down early in the opening game. His opponent cruised away to a lead of 4-1 courtesy to another blistering breakthrough.
There was no way back for the Colombian who lost the match and gifted a quarter-final berth to his opponent.
Matteo Marrai will go head-to-head with the top seed Colombian contestant, Alejandro Falla, in the next round clash. Falla ended the frustrating resistance of the Argentine tennis professional, Sebastian Decoud, to book a date
with Marrai. It was also a close three-setter ending 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in favour of the Colombian. Marrai is capable of pulling up another upset and therefore the next game for Falla is not going to be a piece of cake for sure.
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