Michael Berrer battles past Antonio Veic into main draw – Kremlin Cup 2011
Qualifying second seed, Michael Berrer from Germany survived a mid match lapse to secure a three set win against qualifying fifth seeded Croat, Antonio Veic in the final qualifying round of the 2011 Kremlin Cup on Monday, 17th
October in Moscow, Russia.
In a two hours and seventeen minutes enthralling clash, the world number 98 German secured a 6-0, 4-6, 7-6(8) win over the lower ranked Croat.
Although the two had never played each other in the main draw of an ATP Tour event, this was the pair’s second meeting in their career. Having met once before in the qualifying round of the Bank Austria Tennis Trophy; Berrer enjoyed
a one win edge over the Croat enjoying a simple straight sets win then.
Opening serve in the first set, Berrer was absolutely lethal in his shots. Capitalising on back-to-back breaks, the German clinched three opportunities as he secured a bagel set win over the Croat in only twenty minutes.
With a one set lead, Berrer was expected to sail through the second set with equal ease. However, Veic was determined to not go down without a fight. Fighting tooth and nail with the German, Veic managed to stay in the match as
he forced the scoreboard to level terms for the first eight games. A lucky break came the Croat’s way in the ninth game as he went 5-4 in the lead before comfortably serving out the set to secure a 6-4 win, bringing the set scores to even terms.
A set win a piece forced the match into a deciding third set. The most exciting and hard fought set of the match, each of the two players was determined to secure a berth in the main draw of the event. An exchange of breakpoint
opportunities and successful hold of serve forced the set into a tiebreaker.
With more than ninety minutes into the match, the players were expected to be tired out. However, the two maintained their form as they matched blow for blow in the tiebreaker. Keeping the score levelled at all times, neither player
let up for sixteen points. It was only at 8-8, that Berrer was able to capitalise on Veic’s error reeling off two straight points to clinch the tiebreaker with a 10-8 win.
With four aces and only one double fault, Berrer won a respectable 72 percent on his first serve as he clinched a total of 108 of 197 points to move into the main draw of the event.
A hard fought and well deserved win for the German who now moves on ahead to play Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky.
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