Simone Bolelli ousts Horacio Zeballos in the first round – St. Petersburg Open 2012
World number 79, Simone Bolelli of Italy, defeated Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos in straight sets 7-6(3), 7-5 in the opening round of the St. Petersburg Open in Russia.
Both players served brilliantly in a contest, which saw only one break till the end. Bolelli required two hours and two minutes to undo his rival in a tough encounter.
None of the two players managed to strike even once in the opener, levelling the score at 6-6 and forcing a tie-breaker. The Italian and Argentinean rivals went at par in the first two points to take the score to 2-2 but then Bolelli
grabbed five of the next six to win 7-6(3).
The Italian player banged in three aces and committed one double fault, maintaining a first serve percentage of 61. The Monte Carlo resident had an impressive conversion rate, winning 17 of the 20 first and 11 of the 13 second
delivery points. The 26-year-old could not convert any of the two break points he faced and did not provide even a single one to his opponent in the opener.
Bolelli and Zeballos continued to serve pretty well in the second set, as they did not drop it in the first 10 games and squared off the proceedings at 5-5. The Argentinean went ahead 40-15 in the 11th but he could not
capitalise on any of the two, losing four of the following five points to drop his serve and trail 5-6. On the other hand, Bolelli held without losing a single point and closed it 7-5.
The Italian contestant smacked a single ace and made the same number of double faults in the second set. The right-hander had a pathetically low first serve percentage of 34 but succeeded in pocketing amazingly all the 10 points
on them. The 6ft tall also did well on the second deliveries and returns, as he secured 14 of the 19 and nine of the 17 points on them respectively. The Bologna, Italy born availed one of the four break chances he created.
Bolelli will lock horns with the third seed, Martin Klizan of Slovakia, in the round two.
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