Yuichi Sugita struggles past Jamie Baker in the opening round clash – Dunlop World Challenge 2012 CH
Top seeded home favourite, Yuichi Sugita, managed to withstand the onslaught from the Briton, Jamie Baker, and outplayed him in a gruelling three-setter on Tuesday afternoon. The Japanese contender laboured for two hours and eight
minutes in the opening round battle of Dunlop World Challenge, eventually settling the final score line at 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-3.
World number 119, Sugita, went through some real tough channels in the contest and almost fell out of it in the second set. He suffered an early blow after losing the opening set but secured the second set in a tie-break round
to remain alive in the tournament. Once getting into his winning groove, the top seed Japanese cruised through the decisive set and turned the tables upon the Briton contender to move into the round of 16 at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Toyota, Japan.
Baker took off very well in the opening set and delivered the first blow in the sixth game to break into a 4-2 lead. He continued to play aggressive game and sustained his lead all the way till 6-3 score, getting one up in the
contest.
He went on with his impetus in the following set and broke the Japanese hot favourite in the ninth game to post a 5-4 score. Sugita made his last attempt to recover and broke the British serve in the 10th game to level
the score line at 5-5 and then dragged the set into a tie-break round. The top seed went on to take down Baker in the tie-breaker and bagged the second set at 7-6(2), evening out the scores to one-all.
The decisive set of the match took off with a trade of break points from both sides but it was an all-Japanese show afterwards. Sugita broke Baker’s serve twice in succession, in the seventh and ninth games respectively, and concluded
the matchup at 6-3.
Despite of 12 aces and 46 first serve points, Baker couldn’t finish on the winning side in the decider. Sugita belted six aces and secured 36 out of 50 first serve points en route to victory, moving a step closer to the quarter-final
rounds.
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