Nicolas Almagro prevails over Fernando Verdasco in the last four – German Tennis Championships 2011
World number 14, Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, seeded third at the event, dismissed compatriot Fernando Verdasco in straight sets 6-4, 6-1 in the semi-finals at the German tennis Championships in Hamburg on Saturday. The clay court
specialist took just one hour and 24 minutes to undo his hard court specialist opponent in a one-sided encounter.
Almagro and Verdasco held their serve in the first nine games of the opening set to take the score to 5-4 in favour of the former. Almagro broke Verdasco in the tenth game to win the set 6-4.
The Spaniard delivered 66 percent of the first serves and two aces in the first set. Almagro converted a whopping sixteen of the nineteen first serves and five of the ten second serves into points in the opening set. In comparison,
Verdasco kept his first serve percentage at 69 percent, winning 59 percent of the first service points and 53 percent of the second service points. The Spaniard had no answer to Almagro’s big serves as he was able to claim just three of the nineteen first
return points. Almagro clinched an incredible fourteen of the 34 points on the first return. The right-handed converted one of the three break points he received on Verdasco’s serve in the first set.
In the second set, Almagro and his countryman won their opening service games to level the score at 1-1. It was all Almagro show after that as the Spaniard captured five consecutive games, breaking Verdasco in the fourth and sixth
game to seal the set 6-1.
The Spaniard served superbly as he fired 76 percent of the first serves and five aces in the second set. Almagro outclassed his compatriot in all departments of the game. The 25-year-old grabbed thirteen of the sixteen first service
points and four of the five second service points. Almagro bulldozed his opponent’s serve in the second set. The Spaniard clinched an amazing 58 percent of the points on return of service. The Murcia resident saved the one break point he faced and capitalised
on both break point opportunities he created on his countryman’s serve in the second set.
Talking to the reporters, a triumphal Almagro said, "I am very happy with my tennis today. It was my best match in Hamburg. I am happy with my tennis and my mentality. I am at a good moment in my career. We will see what happens
tomorrow. It will be a big match."
The Spaniard is slated to meet world number 18 Gilles Simon of France in the final.
Tags: