Michael Llodra rallies past Mikhail Youzhny into second round – Western & Southern Open 2011
World number 32 Michael Llodra of France upset thirteenth seed Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in three sets 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(4) in the first round at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati on Tuesday. The match lasted for two hours
and ten minutes.
Llodra and the Russian could not break each other in the first ten games of the opening set and equalised the score at 5-5. The Frenchman hit some solid returns to break Youzhny in the eleventh game and held his serve in the next
game to seal the set 7-5.
The six feet and three inches tall made full use of his big first deliveries, firing five aces and winning an incredible 21 of the 26 points on them in the first set. In comparison, Youzhny delivered two aces and 67 percent of
the first serves, winning fifteen of the 22 points on them in the opening set. Llodra returned brilliantly, converting seven of the 22 first returns into points compared to just five of the 26 by his opponent. The French saved amazingly all the six break points
he faced and won one of the two break points he received on Youzhny’s serve in the first set.
Llodra was looking favourite to win the match quickly as he broke the Russian in the third game and consolidated on it to build a 3-1 lead. However, it was all Youzhny show after that as the Russian grabbed five consecutive games,
breaking the French in the sixth and eighth game to clinch the set 6-3.
Youzhny served quite well, sealing twelve of the eighteen first service points and five of the seven second service points in the second set. The Russian lost most of the return points, claiming just three of the fourteen first
return points compared to six out of eighteen by his opponent in the second set. However, the six feet tall clinched both break points he received on Llodra’s serve and saved one of the two break points he faced on his own serve in the second set.
Llodra drew the first blood in the third set, breaking the Russian in the fourth game and claiming his serve in the next game to race to a 4-1 lead. Youzhny broke back in the seventh game and consolidated on it to level the score
at 4-4. The Russian and Llodra held their serve in the rest of the games to square off the score at 6-6. Llodra hit a back-hand volley winner to bag a late mini-break in the tie-break and capitalised on it to win 7-4.
The French will face world number 21 Fernando Verdasco of Spain in the round of 32.
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