Pablo Andujar, Pere Riba through to the second round of the Grand Prix Hassan II
Pablo Andujar beats Florent Serra 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
Spanish Pablo Andujar, ranked 69th in the world, battled past world number 79 Florent Serra of France in three sets 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 in the first round of the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca on Monday.
The Spaniard thrashed Serra as he allowed his opponent to win just one game in the opening set, winning it 6-1. Andujar fired in a single ace and 58 per cent of the first serves in the opening set. He won 73 per cent of the points
on his first serve in the opening set. The 25-year-old capitalized on two of the three break points he received in the first set.
In the second set, Serra broke Andujar in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. However, the Spaniard broke back immediately and held his next service game to level the score at 3-3. After that, Serra won three games in a row to
clinch the set 6-3.
The French fired in 64 per cent of the first serves in the second set, winning 88 per cent of the points on them. The 30-year-old converted both break chances he received in the second set.
Andujar broke his opponent twice in the third set, winning it 6-2. The Spanish did not face any break point in the final set. On the other hand, Serra faced four break points and saved just two of them. The match lasted for one
hour and 30 minutes.
Serra will meet world number 51 Jeremy Chardy of France in the next round.
Pere Riba defeats Jesse Huta Galung 6-3, 6-3
World number 84 Pere Riba of Spain cruised past world number 115 Jesse Huta Galung in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 to reach the second round. It took the Spanish just over one hour and three minutes to overcome his opponent.
Riba broke his opponent once in the opening set to win it 6-3. The Spaniard hit a couple of aces and committed a single double fault in the first set. The right-handed delivered 59 per cent of the first serves and won 81 per cent
of the points on them in the opening set. Riba successfully converted the only break point opportunity he received in the first set.
The Spaniard broke Huta Galung in the third and seventh game of the second set, winning it 6-3. Riba kept his first serve percentage at 67 per cent in the second set and capitalized on 71 per cent of the first serves to win points.
Huta Galung was impressive with his serve as he fired seven aces in the second set. However, the Dutch could not save both break points he received in the second set.
Riba is slated to play Kazakh Andrey Golubev, seeded fourth at the event, in the second round.
Tags: