Maxime Teixeira overcomes Dusan Lojda in the quarter-finals – Franken Challenge 2012 CH
World number 216, Maxime Teixeira of France, fought back after losing the opener to beat his higher ranked opponent from Czech Republic, Dusan Lojda, in three sets 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 in the quarter-final at the Franken Challenge
in Furth, Germany on Friday.
Teixeira and Lojda began steadily, as they held their serve in the first four games and equalised the score at 2-2. The Czech contestant pressed the accelerator afterwards, striking in the fifth and seventh game to build a 5-2
lead. Teixeira tried to come on equal terms by pulling one break back in the eighth and winning his subsequent serve to reduce the trail to 4-5 but he could not do more, losing it 4-6.
Lojda smacked one ace and the same number of double fault in the first set. The Czech player had a low first serve percentage of 58 but managed to claim 14 of the 19 points on them. The 24-year-old availed two of the four break
chances he created and avoided four of the five threats he faced.
The Czech was looking to win the contest quickly, as he claimed breakthrough in the very first game of the second set and won his next serve to attain a 2-0 advantage. However, his lead did not last for long, as Teixeira struck
back in the sixth and evened it out at 3-3. Lojda broke the Frenchman again in the 11th and had the golden opportunity to serve for the match but lost it to take the score to 6-6 and force a tie-breaker. Teixeira took full advantage of this life
line and allowed the Czech to win just three points, sealing it 7-6(3).
The French contender banged in one ace and 45 percent of the first serves, converting 10 of the 17 of them into points. The right-hander failed to save both break points he faced but balanced that by converting two of the three
he received in the second set.
In the final set, Teixeira and Lojda held their serve in the opening two games to level the score at 1-1. The Frenchman grabbed four in a row later on and raced to a 5-1 lead. Lojda succeeded in winning one more game but lost the
next one to lose 2-6.
Teixeira required two hours and 28 minutes to claim win in a marathon match.
The Frenchman will face Slovakia’s Blaz Kavcic, seeded second in the draw, in the semi-finals.
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