Michael Look registers an upset against Marinko Matosevic in round one - Brunei 2012 CH
In an all-Australian affair, Michael Look pulled up an upset by defeating the superior ranked, Marinko Matosevic, in a taxing three-setter. After battling for two hours and four minutes, Look finally marched into the second
round of Brunei Challenger tournament, settling the final scores at 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Ironically, both compatriots had never faced each other on tennis courts before this encounter and they had no psychological advantage to play with; it seemed to have worked in favour of the 336th ranked
Aussie, as he played his natural game and ousted the 200th ranked compatriot. Both players were completely drained as they moved towards the ending moments of the final set.
Matosevic was under the cosh for the first three games of the match, as his serve was broken in the second game and his opponent eased ahead with three games lead. He organized himself and broke his opponent’s serve in the
next game to lessen the lead. Both compatriots fought rigorously and were forcing each other to play around the base line. No more serve breaks were witnessed and the scores kept ticking over with some brutal hitting. Look successfully held his lead till the
end and registered a set lead against Matosevic.
The second set was completely dominated by Matosevic, who gave very few chances to his opponent to play impressive return shots. He broke serve in the fourth game and took the lead. It was obvious that he will have an all
round onslaught on his opponent considering he was in a ‘do or die’ situation in the second set. Both players traded breakthroughs in the seventh and eighth game as 26-years-old, Matosevic, prepared himself to serve for the set. He successfully held his serve
with a cracking ace down the middle to level the set scores at 1-1.
Look started the final set in nervy fashion and lost the first serve game that exerted immense pressure on him. He didn’t lose heart and continued to fight; his efforts were rewarded in the fourth game in a form of a crucial
breakpoint that levelled the scores at 2-2. Scores kept ticking over as both players held their respective serves in the next five games. During the tenth game, Matosevic committed a double-fault that gave initial advantage to his opponent. The pressure played
its part and Look was able to break serve for the second time in the last set to register a close triumph over his compatriot.
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