Sergio Gutierrez-Ferrol, Nicolas Devilder qualify for the main round of Grand Prix Hassan II
World number 320 Sergio Gutierrez-Ferrol of Spain upset Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin, ranked 63rd in the world, in three thrilling sets 7-6(7), 4-6, 7-6(4) in the final round of the qualifying draw at the Grand Prix Hassan
II in Casablanca on Monday.
Gutierrez-Ferrol and Kukushkin broke each other once in the opening set, taking the set to a tie-break. The Spaniard hit a forehand winner to earn a mini-break in the tie-break, winning it 9-7.
The Spaniard hit three aces and committed the same number of double faults in the opening set. He delivered 54 per cent of the first serves, winning 80 per cent of the points on them.
In the second set, both players broke each other on number of occasions but it was Kukushkin who claimed the decisive break in the ninth game, taking the set 6-4.
The Kazakh converted three of the five break points he received in the second set. The 23-year-old could save only one of the three break points he received in the second set.
Gutierrez-Ferrol and Kukushkin served brilliantly, holding their serves in the first 12 games of the final set to force a tie-break. The Spaniard earned two mini-breaks in the tie-break, winning it 7-4.
The right-handed fired in a single ace and 59 per cent of the first serves in the deciding set. He won 88 per cent of the points on his first serve. The Spaniard did not face a single break point in the set. He failed to convert
any of the six break points he received in the third set.
Gutierrez-Ferrol will play world number 244 Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia in the first round of the main draw.
In another final round match of the qualifying draw, Nicolas Devilder of France prevailed over Alexander Peya of Austria in straight sets 6-2, 7-5 to advance to the main round. The French took 1 hour and 47 minutes to undo his
opponent.
Devilder broke Peya twice in the first set to win it 6-2. The French kept his first serve percentage at 75 per cent and captured 87 per cent of the points on his first serve in the opening set. The 31-year-old capitalized on two
of the six break chances he received in the first set.
The French broke his opponent in the 11th game of the second set and held his serve in the next game, claiming the set 7-5. The left-handed delivered 85 per cent of the first serves, converting 69 per cent of them into
points in the second set.
Devilder is slated to meet German Michael Berrer, ranked 81st in the world, in the opening round of the main draw.
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