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10/19/10 1:25 AM | Ricky Dimon
For the second time in three weeks, Sergiy Stakhovsky saves multiple match points against Michael Russell before going on to win. Stakhovsky advances to the Moscow second round on Monday along with Viktor Troicki.
When Michael Russell saw his Kremlin Cup draw, he must have had a terrible flashback. And, in fact, it turned out to be his worst nightmare.
Russell lost to Sergiy Stakhovsky three weeks ago in Kuala Lumpur after holding double match point on his own serve at 6-2, 5-3, 40-15. They faced each other again on Monday in the Kremlin Cup first round--Russell's first ATP match since the Kuala Lumpur meltdown--and it was arguably even worse for Russell this time.
The 32-year-old American squandered not two, but three match points on his own serve before falling to Stakhovsky 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in two hours and 45 minutes of play. After splitting the first two sets, Russell broke serve at 3-3 in the third and held for 5-3, only to lose the last four games of the match.
Stakhovsky held easily for 4-5, fought off three match points on his opponent's serve to break for 5-5, survived several break points to hold for 6-5, then seized triple match point with Russell serving at 0-40. This time it was the 34th-ranked Ukrainian's turn to blow three match points, but he converted his fourth opportunity when Russell ended the proceedings with his eighth double-fault.
Joining Stakhovsky in the second round is Viktor Troicki, who battled back from a set deficit to defeat Dmitry Tursunov 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 56 minutes. Like Stakhovsky, the Serb also won the final four games of the match. Tursunov led 3-2 in the third, but Troicki earned breaks at both 3-3 and 5-3 to finish off the night in style.
Next up for Troicki is third-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, while Stakhovsky awaits either Alexandr Dolgopolov or qualifier Ilya Belyaev.
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^^^^ yes
RickyDimon , 10/19/10 3:17 PM
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haunted...
croc , 10/19/10 10:40 AM