Somdev Devvarman rallies past Ryan Sweeting into second round – Atlanta Tennis Championships 2011
Top Indian Somdev Devvarman, ranked 68th in the world, overcame world number 66 Ryan Sweeting of USA in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the first round of Atlanta Tennis Championships at Racquet Club of the South in Atlanta
on Monday. The Indian needed two hours and 23 minutes to beat his rival in a tough encounter.
Devvarman drew the first blood as he broke Sweeting in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. The American broke back in the very next game to level the score at 3-3. However, the Indian broke Sweeting once again in the ninth game
and served out the set at 5-4.
The 26-year-old hit 61 percent of the first serves and two aces in the first set. The hard court expert delivered the same number of double faults. On the other hand, Sweeting did not fire any ace and had an erratic second serve,
committing a horrible four double faults in the opening set. Devvarman won 65 percent of the first service points and 33 percent of the first return points in the first set. The Indian converted two of the four break points on the American’s serve and saved
one of the two break points on his own serve in the opening set.
After winning the first set, Devvarman started the second set strongly as he broke the American in the opening game and held his serve in the next game to grab a 2-0 lead. However, Sweeting broke back in the fourth game, levelling
the score at 3-3. The American broke again in the eighth game and consolidated on it to grab the set 6-3.
Sweeting kept his first serve percentage at 53 percent and hit a couple of aces in the second set. The American was too erratic with the second serves as he hit seven double faults. The right-handed won most of the points with
the help of his strong second returns, claiming thirteen of the eighteen second return points.
The six feet and five inches tall came roaring into the final set as he broke Devvarman in the second and fourth game to race to a 4-0 lead. However, the Indian made a great come back, clinching six straight games to win the set
6-4.
The five feet and eleven inches tall improved his returns dramatically as he grabbed 45 percent of the first returns in the third set. The right-handed could not save both break points on his own serve but capitalised on three
of the four break point opportunities he created on Sweeting’s serve in the deciding set.
Devvarman is slated to take on world number 106 Tatsuma Ito of Japan in the second round.
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