ATP Barcelona: Stefanos Tsitsipas and David Ferrer advance. Goffin loses
Competing in Barcelona for the 15th and last time, the four-time finalist David Ferrer is through to the second round after a commanding 6-3, 6-1 triumph over struggling Mischa Zverev in 65 minutes. Facing each other for the first time since Rotterdam 2008, the Spanish veteran dropped just 11 points in eight service games, fending off all three break points and mounting the pressure on Mischa who couldn't endure it, stealing half of the return points to create 14 break chances and convert four for the place in round two, celebrating the 29th win in Barcelona. David had 20 winners and 18 unforced errors, leaving Zverev on an 11-24 ratio and controlling the scoreboard all the time.
The German did well to save eight out of nine break points in the opener although he lost serve already in the second game when his backhand landed long. Ferrer saved three break points at 4-2 and sealed the first set with a hold at love in the ninth game, hoping for more of the same in the rest of the encounter. Barely losing a point behind the initial shot in set number two, David's win was never in doubt and he earned it with three straight breaks, moving over the top when Mischa hit a double fault in game seven. Standing on a career-high ranking, Guido Pella secured the 17th win of the season after a 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 victory over Joao Sousa in two hours and eight minutes, losing serve twice and overcoming a set and break deficit to emerge at the top.
Sousa played well until the fourth game of the second set when Pella pulled the break back, with the Portuguese fending off all six break points in game six before losing the tie break 7-1. Guido had the upper hand now, serving well in the decider and racing into a 4-0 lead before wrapping up the triumph with a hold at love at 5-2. One of the most promising Spanish youngsters Nicola Kuhn grabbed the second ATP win after ousting a qualifier Federico Delbonis 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 in two hours and 29 minutes. Kuhn saved six out of ten break points and notched five breaks, having the upper hand in the decider to race towards the finish line and a much-needed win after all kind of troubles in the last 12 months.
The 10th seed David Goffin suffered another early exit to stay on just seven wins this season, bowing out against Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6, 6-3 in an hour and 38 minutes. Both players created seven break chances and it was Struff who played better in the crucial moments, overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the opener and fending off three set points on serve at 5-6 before taking the tie break 8-6 when David netted a backhand after an hour. Jan-Lennard claimed two breaks of serve in set number two, the pivotal one at 4-3 when Goffin hit a double fault before crossing the finish line with a nice hold a few minutes later.
Jaume Munar needed an hour and 25 minutes to dismiss the 14th seed Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-3, dominating with the first serve and stealing Frances's serve four times to book the place in the third round and celebrate the 15th win of the season that looks better and better for him. The 5th seed and last year's finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas made a great start, toppling Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-4 in 68 minutes. The Hungarian seized both break points he earned but it wasn't enough for a more favorable result, giving serve away four times to propel the Greek into the last 16.
Marton broke in the third game when Stefanos sent a forehand long, missing an easy volley in the following game to bring Tsitsipas back to the positive side of the scoreboard. Fucsovics hit a double fault in the sixth game to give the Greek another lead before breaking at love a few minutes later when Stefanos double faulted. Another double fault costed Marton service game at 3-4 and Stefanos confirmed the set with a service winner, moving 6-3 up after 33 minutes. The second set was more fluid and it offered nine easy holds on both sides, staying neck and neck until 4-4 when Tsitsipas broke after a backhand error from Fucsovics, cruising through with a hold at love and setting the third round clash with Jan-Lennard Struff.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2XB3ueD
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