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1/5/10 3:38 PM | Ricky Dimon
Gael Monfils and Marcos Baghdatis score hard-fought victories at the Brisbane International on Tuesday. They are joined in the second round by James Blake, a three-set winner over fellow American Sam Querrey.
Marcos Baghdatis d. Mardy Fish 7-5, 7-5
Baghdatis opened his 2010 season in style on Tuesday afternoon at the Brisbane International, dispatching Fish in one hour and 41 minutes. The 42nd-ranked Cypriot won 14 of 16 first-serve points in the opening set, never faced a break point, and secured a critical break with Fish serving at 5-5. Fish bounced back in the second and went up an early break, but he gave it back mainly due to a failure to put in first serves. Once again faced with pressure of serving at 5-5, the 55th-ranked American cracked and handed his opponent a 6-5 lead. Baghdatis, who finished with seven aces and five double-faults, promptly closed out the match in style to book his place in the second round.
James Blake d. (5) Sam Querrey 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Showing signs of bouncing back from a dismal 2009 campaign, Blake continued his dominance over Querrey on Tuesday afternoon in Brisbane. The 30-year-old American improved to 6-1 lifetime against his countryman by storming back from a set deficit to prevail in just one hour and 28 minutes. It was Querrey, however, who got off to a strong start despite missing all of the fall season with an injured right arm. The No. 5 seed used one break of serve to win the first set before faltering, although he was mainly a victim of Blake's huge forehand. After forcing a third set, Blake earned a decisive service break with a flurry of devastating forehands at 3-3. Continuing his stellar play, the world No. 44 held easily at both 4-3 and 5-4 to polish off the first-round victory.
(3) Gael Monfils d. Taylor Dent 7-6(1), 6-7(5), 6-2
Monfils and Dent battled through two extremely entertaining sets before the favored Frenchman took control and prevailed in two hours and 13 minutes. The first two sets featured a test of serves and wills, and both men refused to get broken. Monfils saved one break point in the first and three more in the second, while Dent fended off four break points in the first and three in the second. After the world No. 13 eased through the opening tiebreaker, Dent pulled out the second one seven points to five. At long last, however, Monfils' all-court game proved to be too much for the American. Monfils saved one more break point, so two breaks were more than enough for him to book a hard-earned spot in the Brisbane second round.
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