ATP Indian Wells: Tipsarevic, Delbonis, Hurkacz and Zverev make solid start
Playing at Masters 1000 series for the first time since Cincinnati 2017, a former world no. 8 Janko Tipsarevic has scored the first ATP win since the US Open 2017, ousting Bradley Klahn 6-3, 6-3 in an hour and 35 minutes at Hard Rock Stadium. The Serb served at only 52% and hit five aces and seven double faults, offering seven break points to Klahn and saving six of those to limit the damage in his games. The American lost almost half of the points behind the initial shot, facing eight break points and suffering four breaks to send Tipsarevic into the second round. Bradley had to save two break points in the opening game of the match, which is never a good sign, spraying a forehand error in game three to gave Janko an early break.
Serving to stay in the set at 3-5, a left-hander wasted game points before sending another forehand wide to hand the opener to his rival after 44 minutes. Tipsarevic secured a couple of breaks in games two and four in set number two, opening a 3-1 lead and sealing the deal with an ace in game nine for the first ATP win in more than a year and a half. Federico Delbonis claimed the 14th Masters 1000 win and the first since Madrid last year, beating Peter Gojowczyk 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 18 minutes. The Argentinian served under 50% although there was nothing wrong with his initial shot, saving three out of four break points and creating no less than 13 opportunities on the return, converting four to march towards the second round.
Federico was off to a great start, breaking the German in games three and seven to open a 5-2 lead, getting broken in game eight and wasting two set points on the return at 5-3 before clinching it on own serve in game ten. Gojowczyk couldn't do anything on the return in the second set and he gave serve away in games three and five, fending off five match points at 1-5 to prolong the match for a couple of minutes, with Delbonis moving over the top after a hold at love in the following game. Indian Wells quarter-finalist Hubert Hurkacz is through to the second round safely, toppling Matteo Berrettini 6-4, 6-3 in 71 minutes for the fifth Masters 1000 win.
The Pole saved four break points already in the first game of the match and controlled the pace after that, pulling the break back immediately in the second set and crossing the finish line with another one to enter the last 64. The youngster Nicola Kuhn was forced to retire against Mischa Zverev at 2-2 in the deciding set, wasting a 6-4, 5-2 lead and no less than eight match points in games eight and ten in set number two, keeping the German in contention and retiring due to cramping after they traded breaks in games three and four in the decider.
Roberto Carballes Baena took down Denis Kudla 6-1, 6-2 in 70 minutes, delivering one of his best performances on hard court and dominating on both serve and return for only his second Masters 1000 win in a career. The Spaniard lost just 12 points on serve and the American was nowhere near that pace, suffering five breaks and propelling Roberto into the second round after just over an hour.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2FrEUGR
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