Steve Darcis, Andrey Kuznetsov move to the main round of BMW Open
Steve Darcis defeats Denis Gremelmayr 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
World number 136 Steve Darcis of Belgium fought back after the first set thrashing to upset German Denis Gremelmayr, ranked 105th in the world, in three sets 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the final qualifying round at the BMW Open
in Munich on Monday.
Gremelmayr broke Darcis twice in the opening set, winning it 6-2. The German served brilliantly as he fired four aces and did not commit any double fault in the first set. The 29-year-old hit 61 percent of the first serves, winning
an incredible 100 percent of the points on them. Gremelmayr capitalized on two of the six break point opportunities he created in the opening set.
In the second set, Darcis needed a single break of serve to clinch the set 6-4. The Belgian delivered four aces and 71 percent of the first serves, converting 82 percent of them into points in the second set. The 27-year-old won
the only break point he received in the second set.
Darcis carried the winning momentum into the third set and broke his opponent twice to claim the set 6-2. The Belgian hit a couple of aces and 67 percent of the first serves in the final set. Darcis converted both break points
he received in the deciding set.
The right-handed is drawn to meet Florian Mayer of Germany in the opening match of the main round.
Andrey Kuznetsov beats Martin Fischer 6-3, 6-4
Russian Andrey Kuznetsov, ranked 205th in the world, cruised past world number 140 Martin Fischer of Austria in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 to proceed to the main round. It took the Russian just one hour and 23 minutes to
undo his opponent.
Kuznetsov broke Fischer in the eighth game of the first set, winning it 6-3. The Russian fired two aces and a single double fault in the opening set. He delivered 55 percent of the first serves and converted 67 percent of them
into points in the first set. Kuznetsov clinched three of the four break points in the opening set.
The Russian and Fischer broke each twice in the first eight games of the second set to tie the score at 4-4. Kuznetsov claimed his third break in the ninth game and won the second set 6-4. The right-handed clinched three of the
six break points and saved seven of the nine break points he faced in the second set.
Kuznetsov will play world number 40 Nikolay Davydenko of Russia in the first round of the main draw. Davydenko, seeded seventh at the championship, is appearing at the BMW Open after a gap of five years.
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