Stephane Robert rallies past Bjorn Phau to advance into second round – Poznan Porsche Open 2011 CH
Fifth seeded French Stephane Robert bounces from a set down to down German Bjorn Phau in a three setter mouth watering match at the Poznan Porsche Open 2011, a clay court tournament held in Poznan, Poland. He registered a 4-6,
6-1 7-5 victory over his German opponent to advance into the second round on Tuesday.
World number 108, Robert was trailing a set when he bounced back at the German, ranked 25 places below him, to win in three sets on their first meeting. After earning victory in this two hours and fourteen minutes match, he not
only took lead in the head-to-head series by 1-0 against Phau but also secured a second round spot in this event.
31-year-old German bagged the opening set with a 6-4 score line after repeatedly breaking each other serves. He stormed into the court after getting the desiderated break in the very first game. However, Phau could not maintain
the lead as he lost his serve in the proceeding game. The German then exchanged breaks twice in the remaining set and then broke the Frenchman’s serve again in the ninth game to eventually seal the opener.
Phau ran out of steam in the second set and the Frenchman took full advantage of it. He unleashed flurry of groundstrokes to reel off first four games in a row before the German broke back in the fifth game. Robert maintained his
form and won the last two games to earn a breadstick.
The Montargis native kept momentum rolling into the final set and wiped out first three games in a row before gifting away his serve. He then lost his serve again the sixth game to level the scores at 3-3. Robert then kept his
remaining serves and converted another breakpoint chance to his advantage in the eleventh game. He then held his serve in the last game to pocket the decider with a 7-5 win.
Overall, the Frenchman clobbered an equal first serve share of 51 percent and registered a plausible 61 percent win on it. In addition to this, he saved sixteen out of twenty-three breakpoints conceded and converted nine out of
sixteen to his advantage to help clinch comfortably.
Up next for the Frenchman is the Australian, Peter Luczak who overpowered Slovak Ivo Klec in three sets to reach this spot.
The Aussie made quick in-roads by bagging the opener with a 6-3 score line. He lost his way in the second set and suffered a 4-6 defeat but raised the level of his game in the final set as he took it to a tie-breaker. Luczak prevailed
win the decider with a 7-6(5) win.
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