Radek Stepanek and Sergiy Stakhovsky move it into the second round of the 2011 Sony Ericson Open
Radek Stepanek vs. Fabio Fognini
Fighting for a position in the second round Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic outplayed his Italian opponent Fabio Fognini in the first round at the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open.
The pair’s first meeting came at the 2010 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada, Toronto where Fognini took away the match in two straight sets 6-2, 6-4. Given their second meeting on courts, Stepanek balanced their head-to-head record
by 1-1.
Fognini had a better kick off to the game. He hit 64 per cent of the first serves and converted 86 per cent from them, a lot better than his contender’s 79 per cent who only managed to hit 48 per cent of his first serves.
As the matter of fact, Stepanek capitalized on his return games where he won 88 per cent points of his second return and saved 50 per cent break point opportunities.
In a tough combat Stepanek broke his opponent in the 9th game and stood victorious with 6-3 set score.
The second set saw both players hitting equal number of aces; however Fognini double faulted 5 times and lost the game. Both players had a slight difference in the conversion rate. Stepanek converted 63 per cent of his first serves,
whereas Fognini had a slightly higher winning percentage of 67 per cent.
Fognini failed to convert any break point opportunity, whereas Stepanek save 33 per cent of his break point opportunities and that delivered him the second set with a 7-6(5) set score.
Radek Stepanek cruises into the second round where he will meet current world number 3 Roger Federer. Federer leads their head-to-head record by 10-2. This will be pair’s thirteenth meeting on court.
Sergiy Stakhovsky vs. Grigor Dimitrov
Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovsky has outplayed his lower ranked opponent Grigor Dimitrov in two straight sets 6-2, 6-4. Dimitrov could not counterattack his opponent and eventually gifted away the match in 1 hour and 8 minutes.
The Ukrainian took the early lead in the first set and eventually succeeding in leading the head-to-head 1-0.
Stakhovsky’s dominion took a start when he landed 64 per cent of his first serves, converting 75 per cent of it into points. Dimitrov, on the other hand, lagged behind with a difference of 5 per cents and converted only 60 per
cent of his first serves.
The Ukrainian saved 100 per cent of his break point opportunities and that supplied him the first set with 6-2 going one up in the set score.
Neither of the players allowed each other to convert any breakpoint opportunity. The Ukrainian fired in 2 aces and 48 per cent of his first serves, whereas his opponent managed to land with a slightly better 65 per cent. Looking
into their winning percentage, the Ukrainian took the lead once again with 69 per cent of points from his first serves.
The Ukrainian broke his opponent in the 10th game and emerged victorious with a 6-4 set score.
Stakhovsky moves into the second round where he will meet Juan Monaco of Argentina for the first time ever on tour.
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