Santiago Giraldo downs Michael Russell to advance into the second round – UNICEF Open 2011
Colombian Santiago Giraldo overcame early threat from American Michael Russell to win in straight sets at UNICEF Open 2011, a grass court tournament held in s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. He registered a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory over
the 33-year-old American to advance into the second round on Tuesday.
23-year-old Colombian prevailed against the American, ten years older than him, to earn a straight set victory and secure a second round spot in this ATP World Tour 250 series event. Giraldo had only lost in their first meeting
but after this victory, he has recorded his fourth straight win over the American.
Both players displayed solid performance and levelled each other out by holding their serves. They exchanged a break and clobbered a similar first serve share of 63 percent.
As a result, the set went to a tie-breaker where the Colombian prevailed and eventually clinched the opener with a 7-6(4) win.
Ranked 63rd in the South African Airways ATP World Tour rankings, Giraldo improved his stats in the final set and completely outshined the American, ranked 28 places below him, in every department of tennis. He produced
a slightly higher first serves share of 70 percent as compared to American’s 67 percent and registered an amazing 81 percent win on it.
The Colombian easily plucked his entire serves and converted one out of three breakpoint opportunities to his advantage to seal the set by winning six games to three.
A former top fifty player, Giraldo was in great form at the start of the season as he made a semi-final berth at Auckland and reached the final at Santiago before losing to sixth seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo. His form then dipped
in the clay court season as he was ousted from early rounds from all the tournaments. However, he seemed to have re-formed on grass courts and snapped out of his three match losing streak after earning this victory.
The youngster will next face the in-form German, Michael Berrer who stunned top seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro by making a comeback from a set down in a three set thriller.
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