Radek Stepanek subdues Cedrik-Marcel Stebe in round two – Gerry Weber Open 2012
World number 26, Radek Stepanek, eased into the quarter-final of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle at the expense of the 78th ranked German, Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, on Wednesday.
In a battle of an hour and 27 minutes, the 33-year-old Czech veteran didn’t look to be any sort of trouble and grabbed the triumph in straight sets; posting scores of 6-4, 6-4 against the local 21-year-old youngster.
Stebe was pressurized right from the start by the Czech experience contender. The German was forced to save a breakpoint on his opening serve. He did well to hold on and deny any early breakthrough for the Czech. However, he failed
to test the visitor at all in the first two games; winning just two points on return.
The tables were turned upon the visitor in the sixth game and he was forced to work his way out from three deuce occurrences. The Czech successfully held on to his serve and suddenly swirled the situation in his favour by gobbling
up a critical breakthrough in the seventh game.
Both players registered serve holds to love in the following two games. Stepanek served for the set and dropped just point on his way to an early set lead. Trailing one set down, the German player was frustrated on his lost serve
game and looked a bit bobbed down by the initial loss.
Stebe was once again stretched to his limits before he could start off the second set with a serve hold. Both players capitalized on their serves to push the scores to 3-3 without any drama. However, the deadlock was broken by
the experienced Czech starlet who smashed a pinpoint accurate winner down the line to grasp the first and only breakpoint of the set.
The German won just two points on his rival’s serve in the following two return games and lost the match. He lost the match with a difference of just 10 points in the end. However, failing to create a single breakpoint opportunity
was the major reason of his downfall. Stepanek squandered three breakpoints but converted the crucial two opportunities to his favour that sealed the triumph.
The Czech tennis star will lock horns with the Russian superstar, Mikhail Youzhny, in the quarter-final clash of the tournament. The Russian registered a classic upset against the fourth seed Ukrainian star, Alexandr Dolgopolov;
digging deep into three sets to claim the victory.
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