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9/27/10 4:58 PM | Ricky Dimon
Sergiy Stakhovsky saves two match points in the second set before defeating Michael Russell on Monday in Kuala Lumpur. Andrey Golubev advances in far more routine fashion over Yen-Hsun Lu.
Sergiy Stakhovsky battled back from a set and a break down, saved two match points trailing 5-3 in the second, and eventually beat Michael Russell 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 in the first round of the Malaysian Open on Monday. Stakhovsky needed two hours and 46 minutes to complete his improbable comeback.
Russell dominated this one for almost two entire sets, but he could not finish it off. The 32-year-old American earned two breaks in the opening frame of play and lost a mere two points in four service games. Russell then seized a 5-3 lead in the second and served for the match, holding two match points at 40-15. Stakhovsky, however, fought off both chances and broke to stay alive.
That's when the tide turned, although Russell still managed to force a tiebreaker despite the disappointment. But after Stakhovsky took the 'breaker seven points to four, it was all over for Russell. The seventh-seeded Ukrainian fired seven aces in the final set and used one break to serve out the proceedings at 5-3.
Stakhovsky is joined in the second round by Andrey Golubev, who had a much easier time with Yen-Hsun Lu. Golubev, Kuala Lumpur's No. 8 seed, dismissed Yen-Hsun Lu 7-5, 6-2 in one hour and 18 minutes.
The Kazakh never dropped serve while winning 25 of 29 points in which he put his first delivery in the court. He also converted three of eight break chances as he capitalized on six double-faults from Lu. Golubev will face Kevin Anderson for a spot in the quarterfinals.
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