Mikhail Kukushkin routs Daniel Gimeno-Traver in the first round – Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell 2012
World number 55, Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan, got through to the round of 32, as he thrashed Spaniard, Daniel Gimeno-Traver, in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 in the opening round at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell in Spain on Tuesday.
Kukushkin and Daniel Gimeno-Traver went on equal terms in the first four games of the opening set, squaring off the score at 2-2. The Kazakh made double breakthrough after that, grabbing four successive games and winning it 6-2.
The Astana, Kazakhstan resident banged in a single ace and 76 percent of the first serves in the opener. He had an outstanding conversion rate, clinching 12 of the 16 first and four of the five second delivery points. In comparison,
Gimeno-Traver fell a long way short, as he put in merely 52 percent of the first serves and won just eight of the 15 points on them.
In the second set, Kukushkin captured lead from the beginning, winning opening three games to go up 3-0. The Kazakh capitalised on it, as he did not lose his serve till the end and sealed it 6-3.
Kukushkin’s performance dropped slightly, keeping his first delivery percentage at 63 and converting 17 of the 24 of them into points. The 6ft tall pocketed eight of the 14 points on both second serves and returns. The Kazakh put
away all the three break threats he came across and utilised one of the three opportunities he got in the second set.
He required just an hour and nine minutes to come out victorious from the match.
Kukushkin has a 6-5 win/loss record in this season now. The Kazakh gave his best performance at the first Grand Slam of the year, Australian Open, where he surprised two of the top 25 players on his way to the fourth round. The
24-year-old upset Viktor Troicki and Gael Monfils in the round of 64 and 32 respectively. In his latest tournament, Kukushkin was beaten by the eventual champion, Rafael Nadal, in the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters third round.
The Kazakh will face eighth seed, Kei Nishikori of Japan, in the second round.
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