Michael Llodra shocks Alex Bogomolov Jr. in the second round – Australian Open 2012
Michael Llodra of France rallied past the 32nd seed, Alex Bogomolov Jr., in a five set thriller at the Australian Open 2012 on Thursday night. He clobbered a 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 5-7, 6-4 victory over the 28-year-old Russian to book a spot in the round
of 32 at this Grand Slam event taking place on the hard courts in Melbourne, Australia.
World number 46, Llodra, put up a solid display of tennis to overpower the Russian in their fourth meeting. He not only maintained his winning streak against Bogomolov Jr. but also inched closer to grab his first major title.
The 31-year-old French confidently stepped on court number 18 at the Melbourne Park and held his serve in the opening game. After the Russian held his serve in the second game, Llodra went into overdrive mode and pulled out the breadstick in 20 minutes.
He faced no hindrance and cashed in two out of three break opportunities.
Llodra kept momentum rolling into the following set and broke the Russian’s serve in the opening game to eventually go 2-0 up. Later, he held entire serves without facing any breakpoint and converted another break chance to his advantage in the last game,
sealing the deal by winning six games to three.
The Russian seed changed his strategy and sought his way back in the game. He broke the French’s serve in the opening game and prevailed. Apart from losing his edge in the fourth game, Bogomolov Jr. capitalised on another break opportunity in the seventh
game and bagged remaining serves to clinch the set with a 6-4 score line.
Ranked 34th in the South African Airways ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Rankings, Bogomolov Jr. stayed on track in the fourth set. With help from two breaks of serve, he went 4-1 up. Later, the Russian got distracted and after
losing his serves twice, he levelled the scores at 5-5. However, Bogomolov Jr. capitalised on another break chance in the eleventh game and then held his serve to pocket the equaliser with a 7-5 success.
The match went to the fifth set where both players played their best tennis and exchanged several breaks to level the scores at 4-4. However, Llodra got lucky in the end as he converted another break opportunity to his advantage in the tenth game, ultimately
winning the set with a 6-4 score line in 42 minutes.
Up next for the French is the world number four, Andy Murray, who trashed Llodra’s compatriot, Edouard Roger-Vasselin, in straight sets to reach this spot.
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