Robin Soderling prevails over Fernando Verdasco in the second round of Internazionali BNL d’Italia
World number 5, Swede Robin Soderling came back after losing the opening set to oust Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, ranked 17th in the world, in three sets 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the second round at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia
in Rome on Tuesday. Soderling needed two hours and 42 minutes to beat his opponent in a marathon contest.
Verdasco broke Soderling in the third game and consolidated on it, taking a 3-1 lead. The Spaniard broke again in the fifth game and held his serve in the next game to race to a 5-1 lead. The left-handed hit a forehand winner,
serving out the set at 5-2.
Verdasco fired one ace and 67 percent of the first serves, grabbing 75 percent of the points on them in the first set. On the other hand, Soderling delivered the same percentage of first serves. The Swede claimed 25 percent of
the first return points in the opening set. The right-handed failed to save two of the three break points on his serve in the first set.
The Spaniard and Soderling exchanged a break of serve in the first two games, levelling the score at 1-1. Verdasco broke the Swede in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. However, Soderling broke back in the very next game to tie
the score at 4-4. Verdasco had a chance to serve out the match as he broke his opponent again in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead. But, Soderling saved three match points to stop the Spaniard from closing out the match. After that, the Swede grabbed two straight
games to win a nail biting second set 7-5.
Soderling troubled his opponent with the return of service as he won 46 percent of the points on first service returns in the second set. In comparison, Verdasco converted 39 percent of the first returns into points in the second
set. The Spaniard failed to save four of the eight break points he faced in the second set.
After winning a marathon second set, Soderling took the early lead in the third set, breaking Verdasco in the second game and racing to a 3-0 lead. The Spaniard was in no mood to surrender as he clinched three straight games to
level the score at 3-3. Serving at 4-5, Verdasco could not hold his serve, losing the final set 4-6.
Soderling delivered two aces and kept his first serve percentage at 71 percent in the deciding set, converting 64 percent of the first serves into points. The Swede capitalized on two of the five break point opportunities he created
on Verdasco’s serve and saved two of the three break points on his own serve in the third set.
The Swede is drawn to play either Sam Querrey of USA or Nicolas Almagro of Spain in the third round.
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