Nicolas Almagro knocks out Sergiy Stakhovsky in 2nd round – Rogers Cup 2011
Ranked at the world No.10, Nicolas Almagro pounded his 2nd round opponent, Sergiy Stakhovsky in straights sets at the Stade Uniprix Centre hard court, Montreal. The one hour 26 minutes 2nd rounder match of the Rogers Cup 2011 finished off with a tiebreaker 6-2, 7-6(5) in the Spaniard’s favour.
Aged 25, Nikolas Almagro met the Ukrainian for the first time ever. Facing the Ukrainian was seemingly an easy job, however, proved to be a tough one. In the past the 25-year-old has shined in 10 different podiums as the winner. Having a 41 to 15 win loss ratio this year, the Spaniard was in ravishing form to play Stakhovsky in the 2nd round fixture of the Rogers Cup 2011.
Challenging the Spaniard, Stakhovsky made it to the 2nd round beating the German, Philipp Kohlschreiber, in straight sets. In comparison to the Spaniard, the 25-year-old Ukrainian has won 4 titles in his career but has a 51 percent win loss percentage this year. The tall right hander, ranked as the world No.43 has been in his worst form, losing 6 out of the last 10 matches. However, the two did give the crowd a match worth the watch.
The match started off with Almagro breaking the Ukrainian in the opening game of the match. Extending his lead to 2-0, the 25-year-old world No.10 won the following game as well. Stakhovsky finally won his first game of the match cutting the lead to 1-2.
The second breakpoint of the match came in game 7 when Stakhovsky served to lose a breakpoint. With scores now at 5-2, Almagro served and pounded hi challenger in the final game of the first set to win 6-2 and led the match 1-0.
Stakhovsky then opened up the second set but save a breakpoint and rolled the scorecard 1-0. However, the scores then levelled as Almagro won his first game of the set making it 1-1. The scores then equalled at 2-2, 3-3,4-4, and on 5-5 as well.
The match twisted when Stakhovsky lost a breakpoint to lag 5-6 but eventually broke his challenger in the next and into a tiebreaker. The match did look tied, however, the world No.10 proved worthy of his ranking winning the tiebreaker set and the match 6-2, 7-6(5).
The Spaniard now sits in the 3rd round of the Rogers Cup where he will play the Frenchman Richard Gasquet for the quarter-final seat.
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