Olivier Rochus downs Matthew Ebden to advance to semi-finals – Hall of Fame Championships 2011
World number 74 Olivier Rochus of Belgium prevailed over world number 157 Matthew Ebden of Australia in straight sets 7-6(5), 6-3 to reach third consecutive semi-final at the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport
on Friday. The Belgian took just an hour and 27 minutes to beat his opponent.
Rochus and Ebden put on a serving display in the first set as neither player managed to create any break point opportunity, levelling the score at 6-6 to take the set to a tie-break. It was a closely contested tie-break with the
Belgian claiming a late mini-break to win it 7-5.
The five feet and six inches tall delivered 47 percent of the first serves and one ace in the opening set. Rochus had an extraordinary first serve conversion rate, converting a whopping 83 percent of the first serves into points
in the first set. In comparison, Ebden fired five aces but the Australian lost the advantage as he also committed three double faults. The Perth resident kept his first serve percentage at 63 percent, converting 76 percent of the first serves into points in
the opening set. The 23-year-old failed to handle his opponent’s serve as he managed to win just three of the eighteen first return points.
Rochus and Ebden held their serve convincingly in the first seven games of the second set, taking the score to 4-3 in favour of the Belgian. The right-handed hit a forehand winner to break Ebden in the eighth game and held his
serve in the next game to claim the set 6-3.
The Belgian matched his opening set’s first serve percentage as he hit 47 percent of the first serves, converting a whopping 87 percent of them into points in the second set. Rochus improved his returns, winning 36 percent of the
first return points in the second set. The 30-year-old capitalised on the one break point opportunity he created on Ebden’s serve in the second set.
The sixth seed has a 12-2 win/loss record at the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. In his maiden appearance here, Rochus reached the semi-finals before losing to Rajeev Ram of USA in straight sets 3-6, 4-6 in the last
four in 2009. The Belgian was defeated by another American Mardy Fish in three sets 7-5, 3-6, 4-6 in the title match last year.
Rochus is slated to meet World number 361 Michael Yani of USA in the semi-finals. The American dismissed compatriot Denis Kudla in three thrilling sets 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-5 in the quarterfinals.
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