Rainer Schuettler cruises past Sergiy Stakhovsky into the second round – AEGON International 2011
Former world number 5 Rainer Schuettler, currently ranked 118th in the world, upset world number 35 Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 in the opening round of AEGON International at Devonshire Park
in Eastbourne on Tuesday. It took the German just 57 minutes to undo his opponent in a one-sided contest.
Schuettler dominated the match form the start as he broke Stakhovsky in the fourth game of the first set and consolidated on it, taking a 4-1 lead. The German did not allow his opponent to break back throughout the set, winning
it 6-3.
The 35-year-old veteran hit one ace and 72 percent of the first serves in the first set, capturing 74 percent of the points on them. In comparison, Stakhovsky hit the same number of ace as his opponent, keeping his first serve
percentage at 71 percent and winning 73 percent of the points on the first serve in the opening set. The difference between both players was the second serve conversion rate. The Ukrainian managed to win just 33 percent of the second service points in comparison
to 67 percent by his opponent. The 25-year-old did not receive any break point on Schuettler’s serve and failed to save one of the two break points on his own serve in the first set.
With the winning momentum on his side, Schuettler did not give his opponent any opportunity to come back in the match. The German broke Stakhovsky in the fifth and seventh game to win the second set 6-2.
Schuettler delivered 59 percent of the first serves and bagged an amazing 92 percent of the points on them in the second set. On the other hand, Stakhovsky did not serve that well as he managed to hit just 50 percent of the first
serves and converted 70 percent of them into points. The Ukrainian was unable to respond his opponent’s huge serves, clinching just eight percent of the first return points in the second set. Schuettler managed to save the only break point he faced and capitalised
on two of the four break point opportunities he created on Stakhovsky’s serve in the second set.
This is Schuettler’s fourth appearance at the AEGON International. The right-handed was upset by James Ward of Great Britain in straight sets 3-6, 6-7(5) in his last appearance here in 2010. The German was beaten by British Greg
Rusedski in three sets 6-7(0), 6-4, 6-7(3) in 2001. In his debut appearance here, the five feet and eleven inches tall lost to Wayne Arthurs of Australia in straight sets 6-7(5), 6-7(1) in the opening round.
Schuettler is drawn to face Japan’s Kei Nishikori, ranked 59th in the world, in the second round. The Japanese beat world number 378 Evgeny Kirillov of Russia in straight sets 7-5, 6-1 in the first round.
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