Santiago Giraldo ousts Jeremy Chardy to move into quarterfinal – Mercedes Cup 2011
The men’s singles of the Mercedes Cup 2011 became more exiting as the matches for the 2nd round wrapped up. Playing at the TC Weissenhof Court in Stuttgart, Germany Frenchman Jeremy Chardy went on against the Columbian
world No.61, Santiago Giraldo.
This was the 3rd time these two players were playing head-to-head. Before this, Jeremy and Santiago came across each other in the Junior US OPEN and the Delray Beach International Tennis Championship.
Of the two matches against each other, Jeremy Chardy has won on both occasions. Though the two fixtures were played on hard courts, it was yet to figure out who ruled the clay as the two players collided in the 2nd round
of the Mercedes Cup 2011. Statistically, Santiago had a better situation on clay. Out of the 285 matches played by the Columbian all over, he succeeded in winning 191 times.
Giraldo served the opener of the match. Surprisingly the match started off with a breakpoint to Jeremy 1-0. The French world No.58 was looking to extend his head-to-head lead as he played the next 4 games steadily. Winning two
break points and two games on his own serve, Chardy took the scoreboard to 4-0. Giraldo finally managed to open his part of the scoreboard but that was the only game he won in the first set. Chardy went on winning game7 and game8, bagging the first set 6-1.
With a set down Santiago made a surprising comeback in the second set. Serving for the opener of the second set, Chardy won the first game of the second set. Giraldo followed as he won the next game levelling the score to 1-1 after
game 9. Winning on their respective serves one by one, the scoreboard went level again on 5-5 leading the set to an intensified end. Jeremy served for game 18 but gave away a breakpoint turning the tables against himself as Giraldo wasted no time in taking
away the final game and the set 7-5. With set scores level to 1-1, the match entered the decider.
Frustrations increased at the start of the decider set as the Frenchman lost the first game and gave away a breakpoint to the Columbian. Giraldo then increased his lead to 2-0 winning the next game as well. The overconfident Frenchman
had a breather as he won the next game but that was just not enough. The Columbian punished the world No.58 winning the next four games and led the decider set 5-1.
Leading the final set with four games it was not very hard to determine the winner of the match. Though the Frenchman succeeded in winning two games he needed a miracle to win the match. However, Giraldo gave no chance for miracles
as he clinched the final game and in effect the match with a splendid.
The Columbian will now face either Garcia Lopez or Lukasz Kubot in the quarterfinals.
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