Victor Hanescu, Pablo Andujar advance to the quarterfinals of Open de Nice Côte d’Azur
Victor Hanescu defeats Michael Russell 7-5, 6-2
World number 69 Victor Hanescu of Romania prevailed over world number 91 Michael Russell of USA in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 in the second round of the Open de Nice Côte d’Azur at Nice Lawn Tennis Club in Nice on Wednesday. Hanescu
took one hour and 15 minutes to clinch the match.
The Romanian broke Russell in the fifth game and consolidated on it to take a 4-2 lead. However, the American broke back in the eighth game to level the score at 4-4. Hanescu managed to break his opponent again in the 11th
game and this time he succeeded in serving out the set in the next game, claiming it 7-5.
The 29-year-old fired three aces and 73 percent of the first deliveries, clinching 86 percent of the points on them in the first set. On the other hand, Russell did not hit any ace and was erratic with the second serves, committing
a couple of double faults. The American failed to save two of the four break points he faced in the first set.
With momentum on his side, Hanescu sailed through the second set as he broke the American twice to win the set 6-2.
The Romanian delivered a single ace and 78 percent of the first serves in the opening set, capturing a whopping 89 percent of the points on them.
The right-handed will play world number 59 Robin Haase of Netherlands in the quarterfinals.
Pablo Andujar beats Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-4
Spaniard Pablo Andujar, ranked 50th in the world, knocked out world number 83 Julien Benneteau of France in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 to proceed to the quarterfinals. The match lasted for an hour and 29 minutes.
Andujar needed a single break of serve to win the first set 6-3. The Spaniard hit a single ace and 59 percent of the first deliveries, claiming the same percentage of points on them in the first set. The 25-year-old converted the
only break point he received and saved both break points on his own serve in the first set.
In the second set, Andujar broke Benneteau in the seventh game and capitalized on the single break of serve to clinch the set 6-4.
The right-handed delivered a couple of aces and kept his first serve percentage at 63 percent in the second set, claiming an incredible 90 percent of the points on them. The Spaniard capitalized on one of the three break points
he created on Benneteau’s serve in the second set. Whereas, Benneteau failed to convert the only break point he received in the second set.
Andujar will face compatriot Nicolas Almagro, ranked 12th in the world, in the quarterfinals. The third seed defeated Carlos Berlocq of Argentina in three sets 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3 in the second round.
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