Rik de Voest outlasts Mitchell Krueger in the second qualifier – US Open 2012
World number 173, Rik de Voest of South Africa, fought back after getting stunned in the first set to beat the 1915th ranked American, Mitchell Kruger, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of qualifying draw at the US Open
in New York on Thursday.
Krueger snatched a break in the very first game of the match and won his next serve to gain a 2-0 lead. The American player maintained his advantage till the end, closing it 6-4.
Voest responded well at the start of second set, as he struck in the second game to go up 2-0. Kruger broke back in the third to reduce the trail to 1-2 but his South African opponent struck again in the fourth and consolidated
on it this time to race to a 4-1 advantage. Voest did not allow the American teenager to come back into the set and captured it 6-3.
Unlike the first two sets, Voest and Krueger made a steady start, winning their serve in the opening four games to level the score at 2-2. The South African contestant struck in the fifth and capitalised on it to move ahead 4-2.
The 32-year-old sustained his advantage till the end to close it 6-4.
Rik De Voest is slated to meet Brazil’s Ricardo Mello for a place in the main draw. Mello outclassed Alessandro Giannessi in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 in the second qualifier.
In another match, France’s Florent Serra faced limited difficulty in disposing off Leonardo Kirche of Brazil in the second qualifier. Serra won a close first set 7-6(3) but then got control of the proceedings to win the second
one 6-4.
None of the two players managed to break each other in the first set, levelling the score at 6-6 and forcing a tie-breaker. Serra captured a couple of mini break to claim it 7-6(3).
Both contenders held their serve in the first nine games to take the score to 5-4 in favour of Serra. The Frenchman broke his Brazilian opponent at that moment to triumph 6-4.
The ninth seed will take on local player, Bradley Klahn, in the final qualifier.
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