Michael Russell gets rid off Steve Johnson in 2nd round – Charlottesville Challenger 2011
Second seeded American Michael Russell survived a mid fall against compatriot Steve Johnson in the second round of the Charlottesville Challenger 2011.
On Wednesday the 2nd of November 2011, the two had battled swords for two hours and thirty seven minutes on indoor hard courts of the Boar’s Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Virginia. American
Russell managed to escape a mid fall slip to score 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-4 against compatriot Johnson.
Commencing the first set of the match was Russell and both the players bartered in breaks to place themselves on the scoreboard at 1-1. In subsequent two games, the players held their serves to tie the score at 2-2 by the
end of the fourth game.
During the fifth and the sixth games, the players once more broke each other back-to-back to level the score at 3-3. Matching a blow for a blow, the head-to-head run continued into the set and the score kept tied at 4-4,
5-5 and eventually at 6-6 in the twelfth game. In doing so; the players pushed the set into a tiebreaker.
The head-to-head run progressed into the tiebreaker and with a series of breaks and holds; the players tied the score at two points each and finally at five points each. However, in the last two points Russell squandered
off straight two points by breaking his adversary for the last time and clinched the tiebreaker at 7-5 to go one up in the match.
The second set was quite similar to the first, as the players once more matched an eye for an eye, the score progressed on even terms and it tied at 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 by the end of the eighth game as both the challengers held
their respective serves.
During the ninth and the tenth game, they bagged a game each on alternate service games to once more tie the score at 5-5. In the last two games, they broke each other one after the other to push the score into a tiebreaker.
Amidst the tiebreaker, the toe-to-toe leg lost its zeal and this time it was Johnson, who took the lead and breezed past his adversary to clog the tiebreaker at 7-3. In doing so; Johnson won the second set.
The decisive set was commenced by Johnson and he held his serve to open the scoreboard at 1-0. Trailing behind was Russell, who too held his serve and placed himself on the scoreboard at 1-1. Once more neither player wanted
the other to take the lead; and they kept the score tied at 2-2, and then 3-3 by the end of the sixth game.
By the end of the eighth game, as the two rivals bagged a game each on their respective serves, the score was balanced out at 4-4. During the eleventh game Johnson double faulted on his second serve and gave a crucial break
to his adversary. Mean while, Russell capitalized on the break and as he smashed a marvellous backhand winner, he clogged the set and the match.
Second seed Russell was able to reserve a seat in the quarterfinal of the tournament where he will be facing compatriot Jesse Levine
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