Nicolas Almagro, Tomas Berdych proceed to the semi-finals of Open de Nice Côte d’Azur
Nicolas Almagro defeats Pablo Andujar 6-1, 6-4
World number 12, Spaniard Nicolas Almagro cruised past compatriot Pablo Andujar, ranked 50th in the world, in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of Open de Nice Côte d’Azur at the Nice Lawn Tennis Club in Nice
on Thursday. The match lasted for an hour and 22 minutes.
Almagro crushed Andujar in the opening set as he dropped only one game, breaking his opponent thrice to clinch the set 6-1.
The Spaniard had a low first serve percentage as he hit just 48 percent of the first serves, claiming 71 percent of the points on them in the first set. The right-handed compensated that by his powerful returns, clinching an incredible
62 percent of the points on the first returns in the opening set. The six feet tall did well to save all the five break points he faced in the first set.
Fighting back in the second set, Andujar won first two games to go ahead 2-0. However, the Spaniard’s success was short lived as Almagro broke back in the third game and held his serve in the next game to level the score at 2-2.
The right-handed broke again in the ninth game and served out the set at 5-4.
The 25-year-old converted two of the four break points on Andujar’s serve and saved one of the two break points on his own serve in the second set.
Almagro will play second seed Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic in the semi-finals.
Tomas Berdych beats Ernests Gulbis 6-1, 6-4
World number 6 Tomas Berdych knocked out world number 85, Latvian Ernests Gulbis in straight sets to move to the semi-finals. The Czech lost just five games in the entire match, sealing it 6-1, 6-4 in just an hour and 24 minutes.
Berdych broke Gulbis in the second and sixth game of the opening set to capture it 6-1. The 25-year-old hit a single ace and 60 percent of the first deliveries, grabbing 83 percent of the points on them in the first set. The Czech
converted 42 percent of the first returns into points in the opening set. Berdych capitalized on both break point opportunities he created on Gulbis’ serve in the first set.
The Czech broke the Latvian in the ninth game of the second set, clinching it 6-4. Berdych fired four aces and 60 percent of the first serves in the second set. The six feet and five inches tall bagged 73 percent of the first service
points in the second set. The right-handed converted two of the 12 break points and failed to save the only break points he faced in the second set.
This will be the fifth meeting between Berdych and Almagro. The Czech leads Almagro 3-1 in the head-to-head record.
Tags: