Team Belgium stands levelled against Team Austria in WG Play-offs – Davis Cup 2011
Austria’s Andreas Haider-Maurer trashed Belgian’s Xavier Malisse by a 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 victory. However, his compatriot Jurgen Melzer wasn’t that lucky since he fell to Belgian Steve Darcis to suffer a 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 4-6, 3-6 loss at the World Group Playoffs of the Davis Cup 2011. As a result, Austria tied the scores by 1-1 against Belgium on Friday.
In the first match between Austria and Belgium, Maurer displayed tremendous skills to ease past Malisse in straight sets in two hours and eighteen minutes. The second match brought bad news to Austria since their star player, Melzer lost to Darcis in three hours and thirty-eight minutes, levelling the scores of both countries.
Haider-Maurer smoothly held entire serves in the opening set through exquisite forehands and backhands. He eventually succeeded in converting one of the two breakpoint chances to his advantage in the last game to clinch the opener with a 6-4 win.
He kept momentum into the second set and got the first blood in the second game. Despite losing his serve in the proceeding game, the Austrian held his remaining serves and broke again in the last game to seal the set with a 6-4 win again.
Ranked 77th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour rankings, Haider-Maurer lost an early serve in the fifth game but quickly counter attacked in the following game to level the scores at 3-3. He then held remaining serves and broke again in the last game to win the final set with a 7-5 score line.
In the second match, lady luck raised her hand off Austria as their highest ranked player, Melzer lost to world number 93, Darcis in a four setter match.
Melzer ranked 21 in the ATP rankings, fought back hard in the first set and after exchanging a break, took the set to a tie-breaker. However, he trailed in it and suffered a 6-7(3) defeat.
The Austrian turned the tables around in the second set and after fending off six breakpoints faced, he dragged the set to a tie-breaker. 30-year-old dominated in it and clinched the set with a 7-6(4) win.
Darcis re-kindled his spark and regardless of losing an early serve, he roared back with a fit reply. The Belgian broke back in the eighth game to square the scores by 4-4 and converted another breakpoint chance to his advantage in the last game to bag the set with a 6-4 score line.
Melzer continued his losing ways in the final set and after gifting away his opening ser, he went 3-0 down. Later, he failed to convert all three breakpoint chances he founded to his advantage and eventually suffered a 3-6 loss.
Tags: