Viktor Troicki beats Nikolay Davydenko to advance to the second round of Internazionali BNL d'Italia
15th seeded, Serbian Viktor Troicki prevailed over world number 30, Russian Nikolay Davydenko in straight sets 6-4, 7-5 in the first round of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia at Foro Italico in Rome on Monday. The match
lasted for an hour and 40 minutes.
Troicki broke Davydenko in the third game of the first set and consolidated on the single break of serve to win it 6-4.
The Serbian fired three aces and 75 percent of the first serves, claiming the same percentage of points on them in the opening set. While, Davydenko hit 69 percent of the first serves and won 67 percent of the points on them. The
Russian converted 25 percent of his first returns into points in the first set. Whereas, Troicki returned superbly as he bagged 33 percent of the points on the first returns in the opening set. The Serbian succeeded in saving both break points he faced and
converted one of the five break points he received in the first set.
Troicki and Davydenko held their serve in the first ten games of the second set, levelling the score at 5-5. The Serbian broke Davydenko in the 11th game and held his next service game to grab the set 7-5.
The 25-year-old delivered three aces and 63 percent of the first serves in the second set. Troicki kept his first serve percentage at 63 percent and converted 73 percent of the first serves into points in the second set. In comparison,
Davydenko had a better first serve percentage as he hit 78 percent of the first serves but his conversion rate was lower as the Russian converted 68 percent of the first serves into points. The right-handed captured 27 percent of the first return points in
the second set. On the other hand, Troicki maintained his fine returns as he bagged 32 percent of the points on first service returns in the second set. The Serbian won the only break point he received and saved both break points he faced in the second set.
The right-handed improved his win/loss record to 3-2 at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. In his debut appearance here, Troicki thrashed Romanian Victor Hanescu in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 in the round of 64 in 2009. However, the
25-year-old was defeated by Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina in three thrilling sets 3-6, 6-1, 3-6 in the second round. The Serbian was knocked out by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in straight sets 2-6, 3-6 in the round of 32 last year.
Troicki is slated to meet world number 44 Potito Starace of Italy in the second round. The Italian upset Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov, ranked 20th in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings, in straight sets 6-3,
6-3 in the opening round. This will be the first meeting between Troicki and Starace.
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