Tomas Berdych, Alexandr Dolgopolov through to the quarterfinals of Open de Nice Côte d’Azur
Tomas Berdych defeats Adrian Mannarino 6-1, 6-4
World number 6 Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic cruised past French Adrian Mannarino, ranked 53rd in the world, in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 in the second round at the Open de Nice Côte d’Azur in Nice on Wednesday. The Czech
needed just an hour and three minutes to oust his opponent in a one-sided contest.
Berdych thrashed Mannarino in the first set as he allowed the French to win only one game, breaking him twice and claiming the set 6-1.
The Czech served brilliantly, firing two aces and 74 percent of the first serves in the opening set. The 25-year-old won an incredible 93 percent of the points on the first serve in the opening set. The right-handed converted both
break points he received and did not face any break point on his own serve in the first set.
The second set saw tougher competition as both players held their serve in the first eight games and tied the score at 4-4. However, serving at 4-4, Mannarino committed a double fault and was broken to trail 4-5. Berdych consolidated
on the break of serve, serving out the set in the tenth game.
The Czech will take on world number 85 Ernests Gulbis of Latvia in the quarterfinals. The Latvian beat Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan in three sets 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the second round.
Alexandr Dolgopolov beats Pere Riba 7-6(5), 7-6(5)
Ukraine’s top player Alexandr Dolgopolov, ranked 23rd in the world, needed two tie-breaks to dismantle Spaniard Pere Riba, ranked 65th in the world, in straight sets 7-6(5), 7-6(5) to qualify for the quarterfinals.
The match lasted for one hour and 45 minutes.
Dolgopolov and Riba broke each other once in the first 12 games of the opening set, levelling the score at 6-6 and taking the set to a tie-break. The Ukrainian needed a single mini-break in the tie-break to claim it 7-5.
The 22-year-old fired five aces and 55 percent of the first serves, sealing 77 percent of the points on them in the first set. Dolgopolov saved one of the two break points he faced and converted one of the four break points on
Riba’s serve in the first set.
Riba drew the first blood in the second set, breaking Dolgopolov in the first game and holding his serve in the next game to take a 2-0 lead. However, the Ukrainian broke back in the tenth game to square off the score at 5-5. The
sent went into a tie-break and Dolgopolov captured an early mini-break, winning it 7-5.
The right-handed will play the top seed David Ferrer of Spain in the quarterfinals. The Spaniard defeated Andreas Seppi of Italy in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 in the round of 16.
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