Victor Hanescu downs Andrey Kuznetsov to advance to the semi-finals of Grand Prix Hassan II
World number 58 Victor Hanescu of Romania came back from one set down to battle past Russian Andrey Kuznetsov, ranked 244th in the world, 6-7(1), 7-5, 6-2 in the quarterfinals at the Grand Prix Hassan II. The Romanian required two hours and 13
minutes to seal the match.
Hanescu and Kuznetsov broke each other twice in the first 12 games of the opening set to level the score at 6-6, forcing a tie-break. The Russian crushed Hanescu in the tie-break, winning it 7-1.
Kuznetsov hit a single ace and did not commit any double fault in the first set. He fired 60 percent of the first serves in the opening set, winning 71 percent of the points on them. In comparison, Hanescu had a higher first serve percentage as he delivered
77 percent of them correctly. The Romanian saved one of the three break points he faced in the first set.
Kuznetsov was looking to seal the match quickly as he broke Hanescu in the second game, racing to a 3-0 lead. However, the Romanian fought back, breaking Kuznetsov in the fifth game and holding his next service game to level the score at 3-3. Hanescu broke
his opponent in the 11th game and served out the set at 6-5.
The Romanian fired in a couple of aces and one double fault in the second set. He kept his first serve percentage at 61 percent and converted 65 percent of the first serve into points. Kuznetsov serves poorly as he delivered just 41 percent of the first
serves in the second set. Hanescu capitalized on two of the five break points he received in the second set. While, Kuznetsov managed to convert just one of the four break points.
Hanescu carried the winning momentum into the final set, breaking his opponent in the third and seventh game to win the set 6-2.
The Romanian hit two aces and 57 per cent of the first serves in the deciding set, winning 88 percent of the points on them. Just like the second set, Kuznetsov could not serve quite well as he delivered just 42 percent of the first serves and converted
60 percent of them into points. The Russian saved one of the three break points he faced in the final set. On the other hand, Hanescu saved the only break point he faced in the third set.
Hanescu will be playing world number 47 Potito Starace of Italy in the semi-finals. The Italian, seeded fifth at the event, upset world number 23 Gilles Simon of France in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.
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