Rajeev Ram dismisses Matthias Bachinger in the first round – St. Petersburg Open 2012
World number 98, Rajeev Ram of USA, limited resistance from the 111th ranked player from Germany, Matthias Bachinger, and beat him in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 in the first round of the St. Petersburg Open in Russia.
The American participant required an hour and 27 minutes to dispose his opponent and move to the next stage of the ATP World Tour event.
Bachinger started the contest by comfortably holding his opening serve but Ram needed to save two break points on his own, levelling the score at 1-1. The American hit a blow to his German rival in the third and consolidated on
it to move ahead 3-1. Ram maintained his lead till the end to clinch it 6-4.
The 6ft 4in tall banged in two aces and 74 percent of the first serves, converting 17 of the 25 of them into points in the opening set. The 28-year-old also gave a satisfactory performance on the second deliveries and returns,
securing six of the nine and seven of the 14 points on them respectively. The American contestant saved all the three break points he faced and converted one of the five he received.
Bachinger changed his strategy and made an ideal start in the second set, grabbing first three games to build a 3-0 lead. However, he could not carry on with his winning momentum and lost six of the following seven games to throw
it away 4-6.
Ram hit a single ace and made the same number of double faults in the second set. The American further improved his serve, putting in 81 percent of the first deliveries and claiming 16 of the 22 points on them. The right-hander
could not perform well on the second ones, as he lost four of the five on them but balanced that by winning seven of the 11 points on the second returns. Ram put away two of the three break threats he came across and availed both chances he got.
The American player will face the top seed, Mikhail Youzhny of Russia, or Canada’s Vasek Pospisil, for a place in the last-16 stage of this ATP World Tour event.
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