Richard Muzaev outlasts Evgeny Elistratov in the second qualifier – Siberia Open 2012 CH
In an all-Russian contest, fifth seed, Richard Muzaev, came from behind to overcome Evgeny Elistratov in the second round of the qualifying draw at the Siberia Open in Tyumen, Russia.
Muzaev surprisingly lost the first set easily and then fought hard to claim the second one. However, the higher ranked Russian player gained control on the contest after that to capture the decider comprehensively, winning the
encounter 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.
Both players went on equal terms in the first half of the opener to equalise the score at 3-3. However, it was an all-Elistratov show later on, as he grabbed three successive games to close it 6-3.
Elistratov’s strength was his serve, as he banged in three aces and 79 percent of the first deliveries, claiming 16 of the 22 points on them. The Russian contender also did a fair job on the second returns, as he pocketed eight
of the 16 points on them but his first replies were the weak link, dropping 10 of the 13.
Muzaev made a good start in the second set, hitting a blow to his rival in the second game and going up 2-0 but Elistratov broke back immediately to even out the proceedings at 2-2. Elistratov got in a winning position by striking
in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead but he could not serve out the match, getting broken at that moment and throwing away the following two games to go down 5-7.
Ranked 587th in the world, Muzaev neither hit an ace nor committed any double fault in the second set. The 20-year-old gave a pretty average serve performance, as he maintained a first delivery percentage of just 54
and converted merely 10 of the 19 of them into points.
Muzaev and Elistratov started the decider by winning their serves in the first three games to take the score to 2-1 in favour of the former. Muzaev went on a winning spree afterwards, nailing breaks in the fourth and sixth game
to capture it 6-1.
The higher ranked Russian contender drastically improved his serve, as he pounded four aces and bagged 11 of the 15 first delivery points. The youngster put away both break threats he came across and availed the two he created
in the final set.
Muzaev will lock horns with the fourth seed, Egor Gerasimov of Belarus, for a place in the main draw.
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