Roberto Bautista-Agut upsets Nikola Ciric in 1st round – Todi Challenger 2011
One of the two most competitive players competing for the 2nd round seat, Roberto Bautista-Agut of Spain and Nikola Ciric, Serbian, played each other for in the 1st round fixture of the Todi Challenger on
Monday, 12th September. Ending in one hour and 55 minutes, the Spaniard bagged a 7-6(5), 6-4 win to walk in to the 2nd round of the ATP Challenger tour.
Astonishing the 7th seed of the event, the Spaniard bulldozed the higher ranked, world No.160, Serbian, Nikola Ciric to sit in the second round. Ciric, left-handed, has been slowing down as he grows older. Aged 28, the
Serbian was predicted to win the match, however, lost with a marginal difference.
The fixture started off as Ciric served to save a breakpoint in the started game and took the lead, 1-0. Levelling the scores next, the 23-year-old pulled of his first scores on the board and switched the serve back to the Serbian.
The two rallied with equally strong forehands and serves to level up again and again before they ended up in a tiebreak.
Ciric opened up the tiebreak, however, lost the first two points. Making it back in the game, the Serbian shorted the lead to 1-2, however, the Spaniard mustered the next two points and swirled up quickly and ended up the tiebreaker
with a marvellous backhand to take the win, 7-6(5), and moved on with the decider set.
Continuing with the match after the mid set break, Bautista started off with serving first and opening up the scores, 1-0. The two equally matched contenders entertained the handful of spectators with their strong competitive game
until game 10 of the second set.
Breaking the 28-year-old, Bautista hampered the 7th seed taking away the final game, set and the match from the over confident Serbian. Winning set two 6-4, the 23-year-old took his steps towards the 2nd round
of the Todi Challenger.
Ranked world No.170, Bautista has been playing as a professional since the age of 16. Starting off an all-rounder, the Spaniard has maintained a satisfying record in both fast and slow courts. Successful more of hard circuits,
the 23-year-old right-hander have managed to succeed in 82 hard court matches and lost 45. However, his records on clay are 113 to 90.
Sitting as an up-setter in the 2nd round, Bautista now awaits to play the winner between German Adria Menendez-Maceiras and Dutch Jan-Lennard Struff.
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