Sam Querrey demolishes Zhe Li in the first round – Shanghai Rolex Masters 2012
World number 22, USA’s Sam Querrey, did not face much difficulty in beating the Chinese wild card entrant, Zhe Li, in the first round of the Shanghai Rolex Masters. The American number three allowed the local player to claim just
four games in the entire encounter, beating him in straight sets 6-3, 6-1 in just under an hour.
Start of the match was steady, as both players held their serve in the first four games to square off the score at 2-2. Querrey clinched breakthroughs in the fifth and seventh game to build a 5-2 lead. Li pulled one back in the
eighth to reduce the trail to 3-5 but he could not hold his own serve in the ninth, going down 3-6.
Querrey fired six aces and did not make even a single double fault in the opening set. The American player had a low first serve percentage of 50 and secured nine of the 11 points on them. The right-hander failed to save the only
break threat he came across but utilised three of the five he created for himself.
Both players held their opening serves of the second set to level the score at 1-1. It was all Querrey show after that, as he clinched five games in a row to capture it 6-1.
The American contender pounded five aces but also committed a couple of double faults this time. The 6ft 6in tall was flawless on his first deliveries, as he did not lose even a single point on them, winning all 12.
The 25-year-old said while talking to the reporters after the match, "I feel like I'm playing better now than a year and a half ago when I was ranked No. 17. I feel like I'm playing better now. I'm more confident. Felt good out
there today. It was fun to play in that stadium. I thought I served great. I thought I returned well and I took advantage of the break points. That was the key."
Querrey will meet the 14th seed, Kei Nishikori, or Di Wu of China in the second round.
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