Matthew Barton bounces over Riccardo Ghedin in the qualifiers – Shimadzu Kyoto Challenger 2012
Australian booming star, Matthew Barton, hit back at the qualifier’s top seed, Riccardo Ghedin, in a three set thriller at All Japan Indoor Tennis Championships 2012 on Sunday. He registered a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over the world number 309 to enter the main draw at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Challenger Tour event taking place in Kyoto, Japan.
Barton squandered all five break chances in the opening set and eventually lost the opener. However, he raised the bar of his game after this and pocketed the match in their first encounter.
The 26-year-old cashed in the only break opportunity and saved all five breakpoints he faced to pull out the opener with a 6-3 win. He manipulated an amazing first serve share of 78 percent as compared to Barton’s 48 percent and marked 19 out of 28 points on it.
Ranked 607th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Barton turned the tables in the second set and after capitalising on the only break opportunity, he sealed the equaliser with a 6-3 success.
The Aussie carried his winning ways into the following set and smoothly held entire serves after brushing off the only breakpoint he came across. He found seven break opportunities and converted one to his advantage, subsequently clinching the decider with a 6-4 score line.
Summing up the 20-year-old’s skills in this hour and 41-minutes marathon, Barton jolted down a lower first serve share of 61 percent as compared to Ghedin’s 68 percent but fired 12 massive aces to dominate.
The Aussie will face the South African contender, Raven Klaasen, in the opening round.
Taiwanese’s Chu-Huan Yi also earned the limelight on another court. He eased past the Indian challenger, Divij Sharan, in 80-minutes to advance.
The world number 872, Yi high spiritedly entered the Japanese courts and easily held his opening serve. The Taiwanese maintained consistency in his game and after dusting away both breakpoints he encountered, Yi held his remaining serves. On the other hand, he converted the only break opportunity to his advantage, ultimately bagging the set by winning seven games to five.
The 24-year-old kept momentum sailing into the following set and cruised to swipe in his entire serves. He capitalised on two out of six break opportunities and won the set with a 6-2 score line.
Yi will next confront the Australian challenger, Michael Look, in the first round of this prestigious challenger.
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