Stephane Robert enters round two; hammers Jan-Lennard Struff in first – IPP Open 2011 CH
Stephane Robert, French world No.106, made his way into the second round of the IPP Open 2011, Tali, Helsinki, Finland, on Monday, 21st of November, ousting his German rival, 21-year-old Jan-Lennard Struff, in straight sets, 7-6(4), 6-4, in an
hour and 19 minutes hard indoor circuit match securing his first win of the ATP Challenger Tour event.
Commencing with the fixture, world No.106, Robert, took his side to start up the match serving first. Winning away his first service game, Frenchman turned down the scoreboard, 1-0, switching the serve. Following the 31-year-old Frenchman, Struff went off
the mark winning his first service game with a super triple game point winner, 1-1.
Saving a breakpoint in game three, Robert escaped another game to lead the scoreboard, 2-1, however, German 21-year-old levelled up right away. Winning away games of respective serves the two rallied down games levelling up at 3-3, 4-4 and then at 5-5.
With a game win for each of the two next, the set went into a tiebreaker with Robert to serve first. Frenchman took out the first three points with a swing of his racquet. Struff did pull back to level the points at 4-4, however, the veteran took control
bagging the next three points concluding the tiebreaker 7-4, and the set 7-6(4), to lead the match.
Continuing with set two, Struff stood to serve the set opener. Saving a breakpoint, German took out the first game of the set, 1-0, and stood to return next. Following the German, Frenchman took out his first serve of the set to level up the scores at 1-1.
Unable to break each other the two evened up at 2-2 and then on 3-3 before Robert made his move of the match. Breaking the lower ranked German youngster in game seven, Robert took the lead, 5-3, and was not left with just one more win to conclude the fixture.
Trying to pull back, Struff took away another winner, to cut the lead to 4-5, however, could not break back to level up. Robert fired up his sixth service game and blazed away with another winner to finish off the second set, 6-4, and winning the fixture
in straight sets.
Beating the 21-year-old German puts Robert into the second stage of the ATP Challenger Tour event. Frenchman, who is also the eighth seed for the event now sits with an empty rival seat as it will be filled by the winner of the match between Frank Dancevic
and Federico Delbonis.
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