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3/13/10 7:43 AM | Ricky Dimon
David Nalbandian makes a winning return to Masters Series tennis by defeating Stefan Koubek on Friday in Indian Wells. Next up for Nalbandian is Jurgen Melzer.
Playing in just his fourth match of the season, David Nalbandian beat Stefan Koubek 6-2, 7-6(2) in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Friday afternoon. Nalbandian, who is now 4-0 for his 2010 campaign, needed one hour and 14 minutes to set up a second-round clash against No. 22 seed Jurgen Melzer.
The 28-year-old Argentine returned from 2009 hip surgery last month at the Copa Telmex in Buenos Aires, where he won two matches before withdrawing. Nalbandian bounced back last weekend in a Davis Cup win over Sweden, scoring a doubles win a a tie-clinching singles victory in the decisive fifth rubber against Andreas Vinciguerra.
Making his first appearance at a Masters event since last April in Monte-Carlo, Nalbandian came out firing at the expense of Koubek. The world No. 139 broke Koubek in the first and third games of the match for a quick 3-0 advantage. Nalbandian double-faulted on break point to put his opponent on the scoreboard at 3-1, but he recovered to ease through the opening frame of play 6-2.
Breaks of serve were also the story in set two. Koubek surrendered a pair of service games, but the 33-year-old Argentine improved his all-court game and earned two breaks of his own to push Nalbandian to a tiebreaker. In the end, however, the former world No. 3 had far too much game for Koubek. Nalbandian raced through the decider while losing just two points.
Koubek served at 69 percent for the match, but the world No. 132 struck no aces, double-faulted four times, and won a dismal percentage of his service points (52 percent on first serve, 33 percent on second). Nalbandian finished with five aces and he converted five of 10 break-point opportunities. He improves to 3-0 lifetime against Koubek in ATP-level matches.
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Good job David woooooooohoooooooooooooooo . Next is Austrian.
Believe , 3/13/10 12:56 PM