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2/17/10 1:01 AM | Ricky Dimon
Tomas Berdych and Ivo Karlovic prevail in Memphis on Tuesday. Ernests Gulbis also advances in straight sets, ousting Robert Kendrick.
(5) Tomas Berdych d. (Q) Ryan Sweeting 6-2, 6-1
Berdych destroyed Sweeting in a mere 57 minutes in the first round of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships on Tuesday evening. Sweeting did well to qualify for the main draw over the weekend, but the 159th-ranked American was completely overwhelmed by Berdych. Memphis' No. 5 seed lost only six points in eight service games and never faced a break point. Berdych won all 13 of his first-serve points in set one and the second frame of play featured similar domination. The 23rd-ranked Czech finished with three aces and won 69 percent of his second-serve return points, easing into another clash with an American; either Wayne Odesnik or Michael Russell.
Ivo Karlovic d. Benjamin Becker 7-6(6), 7-6(4)
Karlovic pulled out a typical victory on Tuesday afternoon, out-serving Becker in two tiebreakers without a single break of serve the entire way. The 6'10'' Croat blasted 32 aces to set up a second-round meeting with either Xavier Malisse or Tommy Haas after one hour and 39 minutes. Karlovic saved three break points and missed his only chance in the opening set before pulling out the first tiebreaker eight points to six. Neither man faced a single break point in the second before Becker seized a 4-2 lead in the 'breaker. The 40th-ranked German, however, surrendered two straight service points at 4-3 and 4-4 and lost the last five points of the match. Karlovic secured the win with two consecutive aces at 5-4 and 6-4.
Ernests Gulbis d. (Q) Robert Kendrick 6-4, 6-4
Gulbis showed signs of emerging from a brutal year-long slump, dismissing Kendrick in just one hour and seven minutes on Tuesday afternoon. The 99th-ranked Latvian never dropped serve and saved both of the break points he faced en route to a second-round encounter with No. 3 seed and 2009 Memphis runner-up Radek Stepanek. Kendrick donated two straight double-faults to get broken in set one, then Gulbis double-faulted twice at 5-4 before recovering to close out the opening frame of play. The 138th-ranked American stayed within striking distance by saving a break point in the first game of set two, but he finally surrendered serve at 3-3 after saving another four break points. Gulbis served out the victory at 5-4, clinching it with his eighth ace.
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nice to see you here, TennisFanE!
pretty certain we are the only gulbis believers remaining on TT.
i'll be keeping an eye on lives score from work. match will start about 10 a.m. my time.
gooooooo gulbis! c'mon!
zoey234 , 2/17/10 1:17 PM
TennisFanE, did you see the match?
i was glued to live score and ernie fought off sexy steps in straight sets. omg
c'mon Ernests Gulbis!!
zoey234 , 2/17/10 10:52 PM
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Yay!!!
I am so glad Ernests won!!! :) Hopefully he can pull off another win against Stepanek, he beat him quite easily actually in Tokyo last year :D So happy he is actually winning - proved you wrong Ricky :) Maybe always say Gulbis to lose in your previews so he can prove you wrong!! Haha :)
Come on Ernests!!!!
TennisFanE , 2/17/10 4:02 AM