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1/3/12 7:05 PM | Ricky Dimon
Rafael Nadal gets past Philipp Kohlschreiber in three sets on Tuesday in Doha. Nadal is joined in the second round by Mikhail Youzhny, a three-set winner over Ernests Gulbis.
(1) Rafael Nadal d. Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3
Nadal survived a tough match to start his 2012 campaign, outlasting Philipp Kohlschreiber in two hours and 32 minutes in round one of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Tuesday evening. The top seed looked poised to end the match in more routine fashion when he earned a break in the fourth game and rolled through the first set 6-3. From there, though, Kohlschreiber made a match of it.
The German wasted no time turning the tide, racing to a 3-0 lead in the second. Nadal managed to get back on serve and force a tiebreaker, but Kohlschreiber cruised through it seven points to two. With momentum in hand, the world No. 43 broke immediately to begin set three. Nadal, however, was not about to lose his season-opener. The second-ranked Spaniard earned two straight breaks and closed out the match on serve at 5-3, clinching victory with a clean forehand winner.
(7) Mikhail Youzhny d. Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-2
Youzhny squandered two match points in the second set but fought back from a break down in each of the sets he won en route to a back-and-forth victory over Gulbis on Tuesday. Gulbis led 3-1 in the opening frame of play but his serve deserted him and he promptly dropped five of the next six games.
Looking at a golden chance to finish it in straights, Youzhny missed two match points with his opponent serving at 4-5. Gulbis saved a total of four break points on the way to a tiebreaker, which he dominated seven points to four. Youzhny seemed lost and quickly fell behind 2-0 in the third only to win the last six games of the match. Next up for the seventh-seeded Russian is 6'10'' Croat Ivo Karlovic.
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very good performance in the second set and the first game of the 3rd
hilarious stuff all-around from Youzhny and Gulbis
RickyDimon , 1/3/12 8:36 PM
Rafa kicked it into the next level in 3rd set. His heavier weighted racquet seems to be helping with his serve as well.
Alien , 1/3/12 8:52 PM
Rafa got a bad call which enabled Kohls to break his serve in the 2nd set and I feel that put him off a bit so he took the set to a tiebreak, although that doesn't excuse him losing the tiebreak. In the first set Rafa could do no wrong, but Kohls put up a fight from the 2nd set onwards, but all in vain.
Vamos Rafa
nadline , 1/3/12 8:59 PM
I only saw highlights of the match. No way am I staying up till all hours for the first tournament of the year. It's hard to gauge Rafa's game with highlights, but there was some good stuff. Kohls has been a tough opponent for Rafa in the past.
A win is a win and now on to the next match, some guy Rafa has never played. I am relying on the match recaps and everyone's thoughts to get a sense of Rafa's game. I think the tennis channel will start covering it in the quarterfinals. Then I will be able to at least record the matches.
Nativenewyorker , 1/3/12 10:57 PM
i also could catch the highlights only...rafa looked OK....he got the win...and thats enough at the moment.
Rafa is using a slightly heavier racquet now....to add some power to his serve,and hit more winners.....i think it's a good move,but it can also backfire and injure his dodgy shoulder again....he will need some time to adjust most probably...he will be at his best after february i guess.
v
vrael , 1/4/12 2:54 PM
I suspect Ricky that like me you were only able to follow the Youhzny match via the scoreboard. As someone that is still hoping that Gulbis some day learns how to operate his brain, I'm glad I didn't actually see a video of this match.
I searched for a report by anyone who actually saw the match, and found something on bettor.com that purported to be a review, but it was clearly a complete fabrication by someone who didn't even bother to follow the match on the scoreboard. Clearly not a website to be trusted.
lwalters , 1/4/12 7:37 PM
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Figured Kohlschreiber would at least put up a fight. Poor guy seems destined to draw the top seed early though.
cherylmurray , 1/3/12 7:24 PM