Top seed Alex Bogomolov Jr advances in the qualifiers at Houston
Top seeded American Alex Bogomolov Jr destroyed world number 439, Australian Joseph Sirianni to advance in the qualifiers of the 2011 US Men’s Clay Court Championships on Saturday. He registered a 6-1, 6-2 win over the 36-year-old
Australian.
The world number 118th American last met the Australian on the hard courts of Waco Challenger and lost to him in straight sets. Now after three years of hard work and practice, Bogomolov Jr is in much better shape and
is ranked 321 ranks above Sirianna. The American took him down easily in straight sets in just under 67 minutes.
In the opening set at River Oaks Country Club, the 27-year-old American showed his exceptional skills to earn a breadstick win in the first set. He held all of his serves spectacularly and had a much better first serve share of
59 per cent as compared to Sirianna’s 45 per cent and registered an amazing 88 per cent win on it. To ice the set further, Bogomolov Jr saved all the three breakpoints and converted two out of three breakpoint opportunities to his advantage to clinch the set
with a 6-1 win.
The higher ranked American carried his winning ways to the second set. He smacked two ferocious aces and had a much higher first serve share of 74 per cent as compared to Sirianni’s 54 per cent. Bogomolov Jr lost his serve only
once but he broke the Australian’s serve three times to win the set with a 6-2 score line.
He will next face Chilean Nicolas Massu who reached this spot after bouncing back from a set down to win against American Michael Yani by 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 mouth watering match on another court.
Another seed also advanced to the next round of the Houston ATP with a breadstick. 8th seeded Slovene Grega Zemlja registered a 6-1, 6-4 win over the Swede Michael Ryderstedt in 68 minutes later that day.
Zemlja, who is in great shape and recently won the title at the Caloundra Challenger, was in his top form in the opening set. He held his entire serve through his awe-inspiring skills and broke the Swede’s serves two times to earn
a 6-1 win. In addition to this, 157th ranked Slovene smashed three aces and registered an impressive 71 percent win on his higher first serve share.
The 24-year-old Slovene carried his winning momentum to the final set as he held his entire serve through his awesome agility. Though he had a lower first serve percentage this time but he converted the only breakpoint opportunity
to his advantage to win the set with a 6-4 score line.
He will next face American Rajeev Ram who reached this spot after rallying past his countryman Jesse Levine in three sets.
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