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4/20/09 8:29 PM | Ricky Dimon
Ernests Gulbis blows a huge lead against Potito Starace in the Barcelona first round on Monday, while Tomas Berdych advances when Martin Vassallo Arguello retires.
Potito Starace d. Ernests Gulbis 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Gulbis headed into Barcelona's Open Banco Sabadell having won just a single match since mid-February, but he seemed poised to end the slump against Starace in the first round on Monday. One break was enough for the 20-year-old Latvian two win the first set, as he saved both of the break points he faced. Gulbis continued to take his agressive style of play right at Starace early in the second, seizing a 3-1 lead. The world No. 42 then had three break points at 0-40 on Starace's serve for what almost certainly would have been an insurmountable double-break lead at 4-1. Starace, however, survived that scare, held for 2-3, and the match was never the same thereafter. The Italian ended up running off a streak of seven straight games against a demoralized Gulbis, sprinting through the second set 6-3 and earning a quick 2-0 advantage in the decider. Gulbis momentarily got back on track, breaking to even the score at 3-3, but his meltdown continued at that point. He dropped serve with little fight at both 3-3 and 3-5 as Starace finished off the proceedings in one hour and 45 minutes.
(15) Tomas Berdych d. Martin Vassallo Arguello 5-2, retired
Although a considerable favorite according to the seedings and rankings, Berdych got a bit of a break against a hobbled Vassallo Arguello, who can very dangerous on clay when healthy. The Argentine, however, was dealing with a back problem and called it quits after just seven games on Monday evening. But it was not a complete blowout when it ended. Berdych's 5-2 lead was due to just a single break of serve, and he had to save one break point, himself. The Czech won five of seven second-serve return points to help his cause prior to the premature conclusion. Berdych will meet either Oscar Hernandez or Eduardo Schwank in the second round on Wednesday.
Jose Acasuso d. Dudi Sela 6-4, 7-5
Acasuso got the best of Sela 6-4, 6-4 in their only previous encounter one year ago on the hard courts of the Masters Series Miami, and the result was similar on clay, Acasuso's favorite surface. The Argentine ousted Sela in one hour and 37 minutes to set up a second-round clash with No. 5 seed Fernando Gonzalez, who got a bye into the Barcelona second round as one of the top eight seeds. Acasuso did not serve extremely well (56 percent), but he dictated almost all of the baseline rallies with heavy topspin against the 5'9'' Israeli. The world No. 45 broke serve twice in the first set and did the same in the second frame of play thanks to winning nine of 13 second-serve return points. Acasuso and Gonzalez are familiar foes, having met on 10 previous occasions. Gonzalez is dominating the head-to-head series 8-2 and he just recently crushed Acasuso 6-1, 6-3 on the clay courts of Vina Del Mar in a February title match.
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