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3/4/08 6:40 AM | Ricky Dimon
The marquee matchup between former Grand Slam champions Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt fails to live up to its billing on Monday night, as the second-seeded Hewitt races to a 6-2, 6-1 victory to ease into the second round of the Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas.
The Monday night showdown featuring Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt was supposed to be the main course on the Day 1 menu in Las Vegas, but it only turned out to be a huge dud. Hewitt, the No. 2 seed, destroyed Safin 6-2, 6-1 in just 58 minutes.
It was never close. Safin came out with his typical I-don’t-want-to-be-here attitude and donated an early break to Hewitt. The Russian simply could not put enough balls in play and that’s exactly how Hewitt thrives. Hewitt won almost every rally that lasted longer than four or five exchanges both in the early stages of play and throughout the match. Because he was getting dominated from the baseline, it was imperative for Safin to win free points with his first serve. Instead, he put in a dismal 45 percent of his first balls in the opening frame. One break was all the Australian needed, but for good measure he even secured another break in Safin’s next service game to finish off the first set.
Down a set, Safin seemed to know the outcome of this match was now a foregone conclusion. He held in his first service game, but that was all he could manage before losing the next five games. The fact that Safin only broke one racket during the match—and not one after the midway point of the first set—shows that he was resigned to having no chance in this battle and sure of his unfortunate fate.
Safin’s movement in the second set was as bad as his body language. He did the right thing by trying to force the issue at net, but he looked listless when lunging for Hewitt’s passing shots. Safin also showed no patience whatsoever, going for winners at all the wrong times.
As if more tell-tale signs were needed to show why Hewitt won this contest so easily, the serving statistics surprisingly favored the Aussie. The big-serving, hard-hitting Safin would be expected to have the edge in that department, but Hewitt actually out-aced him 7-3. Safin also threw in three double-faults and served at a disappointing 48 percent clip for the match.
Realizing the poor form of his opponent, Hewitt simply kept balls in play and let Safin beat himself
Safin’s serve, body language, movement, effort, etc.
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Did you know that... Jimmy Connors holds the record for most single tournament wins, he has 109 titles.
kaitepai, Oct 6, 2008 8:44 PM
ravikiran, Oct 6, 2008 5:15 PM
EinarBerg, Oct 6, 2008 4:55 PM
janhavi, Oct 6, 2008 10:22 AM
bridgie, Oct 6, 2008 8:52 AM
RickyDimon, Oct 7, 2008 5:15 AM
tinica2007, Oct 4, 2008 11:35 PM
trixxyfest, Oct 4, 2008 6:29 PM
Marat Safin
Lleyton Hewitt
Tennis Channel Open
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