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1/4/10 10:28 PM | Cheryl Murray
Mikhail Youzhny is off to a rocky start in 2010. The Russian was knocked out in the first round of Doha by Sergiy Stakhovsky.
Sergiy Stakhovsky def. Mikhail Youzhny 7-6(11), 6-2
Unable to recover from losing a tight first set, No. 4 seed Mikhail Youzhny was upset in straight sets by the Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky. The Russian had his chances in the opening set, but he missed two opportunities to break, and was finally bested in an epic tiebreaker that Stakhovsky won 13-11. Youzhny seemed to lose heart after his efforts in the opening frame did not pay dividends. Stakhovsky muscled the Russian around in the second set, in which he secured a pair of service breaks for the upset. Stakhovskly will take on the winner of Lukasz Kubot and wildcard Karim Maamoun in the second round.
Ernests Gulbis def. Albert Montanes 6-2, 7-5
Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis appears to be back to his winning ways. After a train wreck of a season in 2009, the Latvian came on at the end of the season, finishing with a pair of quarterfinals. The world No. 90 smothered No. 30 Albert Montanes in the opening set. The Spaniard was broken twice, while earning no break points of his own to give Gulbis the one-set lead. The Latvian was rock-solid in the second set as well; the close score line was due to better play from Montanes. Gulbis finally secured the match-winning break of serve in the Spaniard’s last service game of the set.
Ivo Karlovic def. Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-4
Though Ivo Karlovic served an anemic seven aces in his first round match against Italy’s Fabio Fognini, the Croat was still able to secure an easy straight set victory. Fognini’s match rhythm was disrupted by the Karlovic’s style of play, which is to keep points as short as possible. The win sends the No. 7 seed into the second round, where he will face either Benjamin Becker of Germany or Austria’s Daniel Koellerer.
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Youzhny was terrible - and Gulbis was surprisingly good, actually.
cherylmurray , 1/4/10 10:47 PM
I disagree Ricky - or maybe it's just with your choice of words. I very much doubt that his first match (beating Djokovic using his new racket) was his best performance last year. I would suggest that his demolition of an in form Stepanek in Tokyo was his most impressive outing. My enjoyment of the match was much enhanced by the Japanese commentary. I didn't understand a word of it, but the two commentators were clearly genuine and appreciative tennis fans. Russian commentators (so called) to matches talk over serves, and don't seem to be connecting at all with what's happening on court.
Back on to peripheral the subject of your choice of words, Ricky, you could occasionally save yourself a bit of typing on your invaluable weekly tournaments preview blogs if you use the word "reigning" rather than "defending". So for your Doha preview instead of:
"Defending Champion: Andy Murray (not playing)"
you should have:
"Reigning Champion: Andy Murray"
which is shorter and doesn't need fact correction at the end of the line.
lwalters , 1/5/10 1:22 AM
reigning champion with no "correction" at the end does not tell the reader weather or not the player is playing
so i will obviously stick with the way I have been doing it
RickyDimon , 1/5/10 1:43 AM
;) ;).........the draw is much more easier for rafa now.......i would be dissapointed if he doesnt make it to the finals!!
VAMOS!!!
vrael , 1/5/10 8:06 AM
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keep in mind that Gulbis' best match of 2009 was also his first one...
and awful loss for Youzhny
RickyDimon , 1/4/10 10:41 PM