Tim Smyczek rallies past Michael Lammer to enter round two – JSM Challenger 2012
Local rising star, Tim Smyczek, needed three sets to overpower the Swiss challenger, Michael Lammer, at the JSM Challenger of Champaign 2012 on Tuesday. He penned down a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory against the 30-year-old to secure a place in the round of 16 at
this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Challenger Tour event taking place from 10th to 17th November in Illinois, United States.
Seeded sixth in this tournament, Smyczek lost his path in the second set. However, he remained focused and ultimately carved out the victory in their second meeting. The contestants previously battled each other at the qualifying competition of AT&T Challenger
of Dallas and after earning this fame, the American avenged his loss against Lammer.
Smyczek made quick in-roads at this hard court tournament. He broke his rival’s serve twice and leaped to a 4-1 lead. Despite losing his edge in the very next game, the American kept his remaining serves and eventually sealed the opener by winning six games
to four. He failed to block the only breakpoint he faced but marked two out of six break chances to prevail.
The world number 397 re-focused in the proceeding set. He smoothly kept his entire serves and got the breakthrough in the eighth game, eventually pulling out the equaliser with a 6-3 score line. Lammer brushed off the only breakpoint he came across and cashed
the lone break chance to get back in contention.
Ranked 152nd in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Smyczek sought his early momentum in the final set. He dusted away all three breakpoints he faced to keep his entire serves. The American got the breakthrough in the eighth game
after cashing one out of eight break chances and clicked the decider with a 6-3 win.
The Milwaukee native took full advantage of several unforced errors his opponent spilled. He struck five aces and regardless of producing a slightly lower first serve share, Smyczek availed 42 out of 52 points on it.
Next in line for Smyczek is the South African contender, Izak Van Der Merwe, who crushed the Romanian qualifier, Andrei Daescu, in straight sets to set up this meeting.
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