Yen-Hsun Lu trounces Go Soeda to claim the title – Singapore ATP Challenger 2012
In an epic final between top two players of the tournament, Taiwan’s Yen-Hsun Lu stomped over the Japanese rising star, Go Soeda, in straight sets at the Singapore ATP Challenger 2012 on Sunday. He registered a 6-3, 6-4 victory against the second seed to
lift the crown at the Singapore Island Country Club in Singapore.
The top seed displayed brilliant abilities to outclass Soeda in their 12th meeting. As a result Lu not only grabbed the title at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Challenger Tour event but also improved to a 5-7 record in the face-to-face
against the Japanese. The contestants previously met each other in the semi-final round of the Busan Challenger 2010 where the Taiwanese crushed Soeda with a bagel.
Ranked 56th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Lu nervously entered the Singaporean hard courts and suffered the first blow in the third game to trail at 1-2. However, he went on a five-game tear and extended his lead by 5-2.
The Taiwanese then held his serve once more and pocketed the opener with a 6-3 win.
The 28-year-old kept momentum floating into the following set and got the critical break in the third game to take the lead for the first time. Apart from losing his serve in the very next game, Lu cashed in another break chance in the seventh game and clinched
the set with a 6-4 score line.
Overall, the delighted Taiwanese was dominant throughout the match. He manipulated a better first serve share of 63 percent in contrast with Soeda’s 56 percent and clicked 27 out of 33 points on it. Lu defended one out of four breakpoints he encountered
and converted five out of nine break chances to his advantage.
The Taiwanese veteran showed flawless performance throughout the tournament and got the limelight without losing a set. He crushed his compatriot, Liang-chi Huang, with a bagel in the second round. Lu then trashed India’s Yuki Bhambri in straight sets and
Yeu-tzuoo Wang with a breadstick to secure this spot.
Meanwhile, on the other side of draw, the 27-year-old tumbled over his rivals in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals. He eased past Slovakia’s Kamil Capkovic in straight sets before losing a set against the fourth seed, Danai Udomchoke, in the final
four. However, the Japanese remained focused and secured a title-round place at this event. Regardless of being a runner-up at this event, Soeda’s skills were praised by everyone.
Tags: