Michael Llodra beats Daniel Gimeno-Traver in the third round of Mutua Madrid Open
World number 27 Michael Llodra of France came back from a set down to battle past world number 61 Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain in three sets 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) in the third round at the Mutua Madrid Open in Madrid on Thursday. It
took the French two hours and 17 minutes to oust his opponent in a tough contest.
Gimeno-Traver thrashed Llodra in the first set as he broke the French three times, allowing his opponent to win just a single game and winning the set 6-1.
The Spaniard fired two aces and 68 percent of the first serves, clinching 67 percent of the points on them in the first set. While, Llodra hit 70 percent of the first serves and converted 55 percent of them into points in the opening
set. The French claimed 33 percent of the first return points. Gimeno-Traver returned quite well as he converted 45 percent of his first returns into points in the first set. The Spaniard saved 100 percent of the break points he faced and capitalized on 75
percent of the break points he created in the opening set.
Llodra needed a single break of serve in the second set to capture it 6-4. The French delivered two aces 65 of the first serves in the second set. The left-handed grabbed 82 percent of the first service points in the second set.
In comparison, Gimeno-Traver hit 59 percent of the first serves, winning 63 percent of the points on them in the second set. The Spaniard failed to convert any of the two break points he received and could not save the only break point he faced in the second
set.
In the final set, Llodra and Gimeno-Traver held their serve in the first 12 games, levelling the score at 6-6 and forcing a tie-break. The French hit some fine returns of serve to claim a couple of mini-breaks in the tie-break,
grabbing it 7-4.
Llodra fired five aces and 64 percent of the first serves in the final set. The French converted 81 percent of his first serves into points in the deciding set. On the other hand, Gimeno-Traver kept his first serve percentage at
71 percent, bagging 78 percent of the points on them in the third set. The right-handed was unable to win any of the two break point chances he received in the deciding set.
The French is drawn to play King of Clay Rafael Nadal, placed at the top spot in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings, in the quarterfinals. Nadal received a walk over against world number 32 Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina
in the third round. The Argentinean forfeited the match due to a hip injury.
Tags: