Steven Moneke trounces Franco Skugor to reach quarters – Banja Luka 2012 CH
German qualifier, Steven Moneke, tumbled the Croatian challenger, Franco Skugor, in straight sets at the Banja Luka Challenger 2012 on Wednesday. He nudged up a 6-3, 6-4 victory against the world number 969 to advance into the final eight at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Challenger Tour event taking place in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The underdog showed exceptional skills to outshine Skugor in their first outing. After earning the fame in one hour and 17 minutes, Moneke comfortably advanced into the quarter-finals at this outdoor clay court tournament.
Moneke went berserk after entering the Bosnian courts. He winded up the opening four games after hammering massive forehands and backhands. Apart from losing his edge in the fifth game, the German kept his remaining serves with poise and clinched the opener with a 6-3 score line.
Ranked 405th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Moneke carried his rhythm in the following set. He dusted away both breakpoints he came across to keep his entire serves. The German got the breakthrough in the seventh game and sealed the set by winning six games to four.
On the whole, the 26-year-old brushed off two out of three breakpoints he faced and converted half of the six break opportunities to his advantage. He also produced a higher first serve share of 75 per cent as opposed to his rival’s 67 per cent and impressively availed 32 out of 45 points on it.
Next in line for Moneke is the Italian contestant, Simone Vagnozzi, who recorded a 6-2 retirement victory against the Dutch lucky loser, Antal Van Der Duim.
The Ukrainian player, Ivan Sergeyev, will join Vagnozzi in the quarter-finals. He bounced back to outclass Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic in three hours and five minutes to advance.
The world number 196 was broken four times and clobbered a lower first serve share of 57 per cent in contrast with his rival’s 60 per cent. However, he amazingly clicked seven out of 16 break opportunities and marked 45 out of 74 points on his first serve share, eventually registering a 6-7(2), 6-2, 7-5 success.
Tags: