Michael Llodra outdoes Arnaud Clement to clinch title win – Orleans Challenger 2011
The stage was set for the grand finale of Orleans Challenger, contested in France, on Sunday October 23rd. It was an all French finale; featuring two of the most consistent and outstanding performers of the tournament, the second seeded Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement. World No.30, Llodra, entered the arena as the hot favourite and was crowned champion after a battle of almost an hour and thirty-seven minutes. He won the match with a cumulative score of 7-5, 6-1.
The last four matches of both contestants were played in this tournament and they were winning throughout in comprehensive manner, especially World No.149, Clement, stunned the audience with back to back upsets in the tournament’s first and second round of tournament.
Before this tournament Lldora lost four consecutive matches in the row but at the hands of one of the most re-known tennis icons like Fernando Verdasco (China Open) and Milos Raonic (Shanghai Masters). 33-year-old, Clement, had lost three matches as well and that too at challenger tournaments.
Nevertheless, an obvious classic encounter was confirmed by the presence of two French veterans at the pitch. It was the sixth battle between the two and ironically, the 33-year-old had won all the previous encounters and had an upper hand with a cracking head-to-head score of 5-0. The pressure was on the second seeded, Llodra to perform and clinch his first challenger title since 2006. No one could write-off the chances of the 33-year-old, Clement, considering his epic form; he had nothing to lose.
The first set was as close as expected and both players fought like true warriors, not allowing their opponents to clinch anything from their serves. Second set was very disappointing because the 33-year-old couldn’t make his mark and was totally dismantled and throbbed in all aspects of the game. He couldn’t manage to capitalize on his serves either and disappointed his fans that wanted him to stretch the match into the third set.
An impressive first serve success rate of 89% from Llodra was the key to success in the match; he hammered his country mate with eighteen thumping aces whilst his opponent could just only score a single ace. He won two crucial breakpoints in the ninth and eleventh game of the match of the first set that helped him win four consecutive games in a row and clinch the first set under the nose of his opponent.
Second seeded, Llodra, won 68 points in total compared to just 51 of his opponent. He totally deserved the title triumph as he has been the most consistent and prolific performer of the tournament. Clement clinched the runners-up trophy and both players waved to the crowd that gave them a standing ovation for providing them with some world class tennis throughout the tournament.
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