Potito Starace ousts Alexandr Dolgopolov to move ahead at Internazionali BNL d'Italia
World number 44 Potito Starace of Italy upset world number 20, Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov in straight sets in the first round of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia at Foro Italico in Rome on Monday. The Italian dropped just six
games in the entire match, winning 6-3, 6-3 in an hour and two minutes.
Starace took the early lead as he broke Dolgopolov in the second game and held his serve in the next game, building a 3-0 lead. The Italian capitalized on the only break of serve, capturing the set 6-3.
The right-handed served quite well as he delivered a whopping 86 percent of the first serves, clinching 64 percent of the points on them in the opening set. Starace won 100 percent of the second service points in the first set.
In comparison, Dolgopolov fired a couple of aces and 64 percent of the first serves, bagging 71 percent of the points on them in the opening set. The Ukrainian could save only one of the two break points he faced in the first set.
Carrying the winning momentum into the second set, Starace did not allow his opponent to stage a comeback and broke him in the fifth and ninth game to claim the set 6-3.
The Italian hit a single ace and 83 percent of the first serves in the second set, claiming 84 percent of the points on them. While, Dolgopolov suffered because of his lower first serve percentage as the Ukrainian managed to deliver
just 53 percent of the first serves, winning 50 percent of the points on them in the second set. Dolgopolov failed to impress with his first service returns as he converted only 16 percent of them into points in the second set. On the other hand, Starace returned
pretty well, grabbing 50 percent of the points on his first service returns. The Italian capitalized on both break point chances he created in the second set.
Starace is featuring at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia for the seventh consecutive time. Appearing here for the first time in 2005, the 29-year-old was beaten by Spaniard Alberto Martin in three thrilling sets 3-6, 6-3, 3-6 in
the second round. The Italian lost to Swiss Roger Federer, ranked 1st in the world at that time, in straight sets 3-6, 6-7(2) in the round of 32 in 2006. Starace’s best performance came in 2007, when he upset Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in three
sets 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 to reach the round of 16. However, The Italian failed to reach the last eight, losing to Nikolay Davydenko of Russia 6-4, 2-6, 5-7 in the third round.
The six feet and two inches tall will play world number 15 Viktor Troicki of Serbia in the round of 32. The Serbian defeated Davydenko, ranked 30th in the world, in straight sets 6-4, 7-5 in the opening round.
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