Stanislas Wawrinka outlasts Robin Haase in the singles rubber – Davis Cup WG Play-Off 2012
Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka triumphed over the Dutch number one, Robin Haase, in a four-set thriller at the Davis Cup World Group Play-off 2012 on Friday. He summed up a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) victory and led Switzerland take a 2-0 lead over the host
nation.
The Swiss number two unveiled his true colours in his sixth battle against Haase. As a result, he not only improved to a 6-0 lifetime in the FedEx ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Head 2 Head Series against the Dutch veteran but also gave a perfect
start for his country. Wawrinka’s compatriot Roger Federer recorded a straight set victory over Thiemo De Bakker in the first singles rubber.
“He let me back into the match”, the Dutch was quoted in a courtside interview after losing the match. ”It was more a matter of him playing poorly, than me upping my game. But at the end of the second set, I actually started hitting the ball well.”
The 27-year-old thundered into the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He drew the first blood in the opening game to take the initial lead. The Swiss then held his composure and plucked his entire serves. He broke Haase’s serve again and sealed
the opener by winning six games to three.
Haase on the other side of net rebounded in the following set. He suffered the first blow in the second game but quickly counterattacked and snatched his break back. After Wawrinka held his serve in the fifth game, the Dutch reeled off four games in a row
and clinched the set with a 6-3 score line.
Ranked 17th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Wawrinka sought his momentum again in the third set. He got the critical break in the fifth game and leaped to a 4-2 lead. The Swiss held his entire serves with conviction and capitalised
on another break chance in the last game, eventually bagging the set with a 6-3 success.
In the proceeding set, both contestants played amazing tennis. They held their entire serves through their brilliant skills and abilities. However, Wawrinka decided to up a gear in the tie-breaker and subsequently clicked the set with a 7-6(4) win.
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