Pablo Andujar upsets Jeremy Chardy in the second round of Grand Prix Hassan II
World number 69 Pablo Andujar of Spain upset world number 51 Jeremy Chardy of France in the second round of Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca on Wednesday. The Spaniard won the match in straight sets 7-6(6), 6-1 in one hour and 29 minutes.
Andujar and Chardy broke each other twice in the opening set, levelling the score at 6-6 to force a tie-break. Andujar hit a back hand winner to claim a mini-break and consolidated on it to win the tie-break 8-6.
The Spaniard neither hit an ace nor any double fault in the first set. He delivered 71 per cent of the first serves in the opening set, winning 78 per cent of the points on them. Andujar converted two of the eight break points he received in the first set.
The Spanish could not save both break points he faced in the opening set.
After claiming a tough first set, Andujar was almost flawless in the second set, losing just a single game to win the set 6-1.
The Spaniard fired in a single ace and 70 per cent of the first serves in the second set. He converted 69 per cent of the first serves into points. On the other hand, Chardy hit one ace and 47 per cent of the first serves, winning 57 per cent of the points
on them in the second set. Andujar did not face any break point in the second set. The Spaniard capitalized on two of the three break point opportunities he faced in the second set.
Andujar has won seven out of 14 matches in 2011. The Spaniard began the year at the Australian Open, losing to Belgian Xavier Malisse in straight sets 1-6, 2-6, 6-7(3) in the opening round. Andujar was beaten by Potito Starace of Italy, ranked 49th
at that time in the 2011 South African Airways ATP Rankings, 4-6, 1-6 in the round of 16 at the Movistar Open. The right-handed lost to Brazilian Ricardo Mello 1-6, 0-6 in the quarterfinals at the Brasil Open.
The Spaniard’s best performance of the season came at the Sony Ericsson Open last week, where he upset world number 9 Fernando Verdasco of Spain in three thrilling sets 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 in the second round. However, Andujar was beaten by South African Kevin
Anderson, ranked 40th at that time, in straight sets 2-6, 3-6 in the third round.
The Spaniard is slated to meet his countryman Pere Riba, ranked 84th in the world, in the quarterfinals. Riba battled past world number 40 Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan in three sets 0-6, 6-1, 7-5 in the second round. This will be the first meeting
between these two.
Tags: