Ram/Russell down Giron/Meister in the opening round – Farmers Classic 2012
Rajeev Ram and Michael Russell of USA didn't show any respite to their countrymen, ousting the wild card entrants, Marcos Giron and Nicolas Meister, in the first round of the Farmers Classic in Los Angeles, USA.
The higher ranked duo faced close competition in the opener but gained complete control on the proceedings after that to win in straight sets 7-6(3), 6-2 in just an hour and 24 minutes.
Ram/Russell and Giron/Meister won their serves in the first four games, evening out the score at 2-2. The wild card entrants drew the first blood, as they claimed breakthrough in the fifth to go up 3-2. Though, they failed to utilise
their advantage, losing the following serve and drawing level at 3-3. The subsequent six games were held by both pairs, taking the score to 6-6 and forcing a tie-breaker. Ram/Russell and Giron/Meister went on equal terms till 2-2 but then the formers captured
three back to back points to grab a 5-2 lead, making the most of their advantage to win 7-6(3).
The right-handers, Ram and Russell, pounded two aces and committed the same number of double faults in the first set. The American pair maintained a first delivery percentage of 75, claiming 23 of the 30 points on them. Ram and
Russell failed in availing four of the five break chances they created but balanced that by saving six of the seven threats they came across.
After surviving a tough fight in the opener, Ram and Russell came roaring in the second set, breaking their opponents in the first and third game to build a 3-0 lead. They lost a little advantage by losing their serve in the fourth
but grabbed two in a row afterwards to stretch their lead to 5-1. Giron and Meister succeeded in winning their serve in the seventh game but could not make a comeback, going down 2-6.
Ram and Russell neither hit an ace nor committed any double fault in the second set, maintaining a first serve percentage of 77 and bagging 12 of the 17 points on them.
The American duo will face either James Cerretani and Igor Sijsling or Jamie Delgado and Ken Skupski in the quarters.
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