Tomas Berdych knocks out Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the opening round – Australian Open 2012
World number seven, Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic, commenced the year’s first Grand Slam title, the Australian Open, campaign with a success against the Spaniard, Albert Ramos-Vinolas, at the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne.
Both players locked horns for the first time in their professional career and Berdych dropped just one set before confirming the second round spot; final scores were 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in favour of the Czech.
First set initiated in sloppy manner, with both players hanging on to their respective serves in the first five games, pushing the scores to 3-2. A breathtaking speedy winner across the court from the Czech earned him the crucial
breakpoint and the scores moved to 4-2. Counter break serve by Vinolas in the ninth game helped him to diminish the trail; levelled the scores to 5-5 in the next game. Vital breakthrough in the twelfth game for the Czech helped him bag the first set in grand
fashion.
Third game of the second set proved to be the turning point in the match, as the inferior ranked Vinolas broke his opponent’s serve to take the lead that lasted till the end of the set. He stunned the attendants at the arena by
his ability to hang on to that minor lead. The third set started sluggishly but picked up momentum in the midst, as Berdych claimed the first successful breakthrough of the set in the fourth game. He broke again in the eighth game to round off the set proceedings
and take 2-1 set lead.
The most exciting feature of the third set was the two successive lobbed returns from the Spaniard that received a cruel treatment from the Czech, who struck two fiery winners off the volleys to delight the spectators. It was not
over yet because the Spaniard had already showed that he can come from behind so everyone was thinking on the same lines.
Stunning start to the fourth set for the Czech helped him grab the first three games to his name; broke his opponent’s serve once and took 3-0 lead upfront. It was such a crucial break that rounded off the set to his favour as
no more breaks were witnessed in the remaining games. He marches into the second round of the tournament.
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