Nicolas Almagro tramples Andrey Golubev in the opening round - Davis Cup WG 2012
World number eleven, Nicolas Almagro, crushed the 132nd ranked Kazak, Andrey Golubev, in the opening round Davis Cup tie between Spain and Kazakhstan. On Friday, both players locked horns for the first
time in their professional careers and Almagro just lost one set on his way to the triumph; winning the match 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.
It was the second win for the Spanish team and they lead the contest 2-0 at the end of the first day. Earlier, Juan Carlos Ferrero dodged an upset against Mikhail Kukushkin in an epic five-setter to put his country ahead.
Almagro was the hot-favourite to win the contest and his sublime form helped him to oust the 24-years-old Kazak in commanding fashion.
Golubev started the proceedings and both players capitalized on serves for the first six games, taking the scores to three games apiece. Almagro was the first to earn the breakpoint as he ousted her opponent, courtesy to
a delicately placed drop shot. He broke serve again to finish-off the opening set proceedings on a high-note.
Both players traded breakpoints at the start of the second set. They capitalized on their serves in the following six games to take the scores at 4-4. The Kazak tennis ace broke serve, against the run of play, and registered
a lead for the first time in the match. He served for the set and comfortably put himself level with Almagro at one set apiece.
Almagro was not happy from his performance in the second set and frustration brought the best out of him. He broke serve twice in the third set to register an unassailable lead of 5-0. Sparing just a single game for his opponent,
the Spaniard restored his set lead and shifted the pressure back to the inferior ranked contestant.
Once again, trailing with one set, Golubev seemed to have lost the willpower to fight back and extend the match to the fifth set. He started off with a successful serve but couldn’t register anything fruitful in the following
games. His serve was broken thrice in succession that confirmed the triumph for the Spaniard.
The tie is tilting towards the Spanish team and Kazakhstan is on the verge of another early exit from the Davis Cup. Only a miracle can turn the tables on the Spanish squad. They just need to win a single contest in the remaining
three matches of the tie. There might be a twist in the tale but it looks highly uncertain.
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