SECOND ROUND : [10]G.Gaudio
(ARG)
[10]G.Gaudio (ARG)
defeated Evgueny 6/3 6/7 6/4 3/6
6/4.
First set, it was starting pretty well. Evgueny, who
decided to receive, immediatly got a break point, but
Gaudio saved it and then leaded 1/0. Games after games they reached
3/2, then Gaudio broke on his first occasion and confirmed leading
5/2. Jhenya kept his service game but Gaudio ended the set
6/3.
Evgueny started the second set by a love game, and
broke to lead 2/0 but Gaudio
reacted and Jhenya had to save 2 break points to
confirm his break 3/0. Servers had trouble to score their games,
Jhenya tried some drop shots, unusually not well touched
which means instant punishment against an Argentine
player; and at 4/2 Gaudio obtained 2 break points,
Evgueny saved one but finally saw Gaudio coming back to 4/3, and
then 4/4.
Coming from nowhere after changing sides, Jhenya scored a
love game and kept leading ; but Gaudio pushed him in a
tie-break. Jhenya leaded almost the whole time but Gaudio
kept pressure on him, they played an incredible
point won by Evgueny which was probably the one that gave him the
strength to end that set winning the tie-break after couple of
missed occasions.
Thrilled by what he did in the
previous set, Evgueny started well once again, breaking Gaudio who
served first.
But at 2/1 Gaudio came back on Evgueny' service game. At 2/2,
pretty much like in the first set, games were following eachothers.
At 3/4 Jhenya scored a love game again, but it didn't impress
Gaudio who kept leading 4/5. In what would be the last game of this
set, they played one of the most amazing point of the
match, both reached an impressive level of game ; but
Gaudio had the final word on his only one break points and won this
third set 4/6.
Kind of a habit now Evgueny started this new set by
breaking his opponent. But even if he rapidly leaded 3/0
he was in trouble with his service games, Gaudio broke back and put
a love game to reach 3/2. Jhenya didn't let go and kept leading
4/2.
The next game was kind of strange... for no
reasons Gaudio started to provoke Evgueny ; nevertheless he won the
game coming back to 4/3, he kept being agressive during the one and
half minute of rest.
He'll learn it was a bad idea...
Jhenya didn't respond verbaly to his attacks but ended the set 6/3
with a lot of authority !!
From there, the crowd which was
almost entirely behind Gaudio at the beggining of the match started
to support Jhenya. And everything kinda turned crazy... Crowd was
cheering loud, the game level of both players reached its climax
and the games were scored either really tight or really
large.
Evgueny served first, 1/0 ; then Gaudio 1/1 after a deuce. Then
Jhenya drop his serve 1/2, but immediatly broke with a love game to
be back 2/2. Unfortunatly Gaudio broke again 2/3 and scored a love
game right after it making him leaded 2/4. Another love game for
Evgueny 3/4, and a tough service game for Gaudio 3/5 after a deuce.
Apparently not scared at all by the upcoming end of this amazing
match, once again Jhenya put a love game
4/5.
The atmosphere was electric, the
crowd sat in a freezing weather was re-warmed by its cheers and
from there everything seemed possible... but with
an other tough game Gaudio finally ended this more than 3 hours
fight and won the match 6/3 6/7 6/4 3/6
6/4.
No matter Evgueny lost, he proved
once again, playing a memorable match, that he is that mature he
can resist to such a pressure, showed a lot of fair play even being
provoked... and most of all he revealed to the whole crowd how
amazingly talented he is !!
Well done Jhenya !
