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Roddick advances with sheet clean
The defending champion fired just five aces past the Colombian who didn’t win a break during the meeting. Giraldo conceded instead four services and only saved two to pack from the Winston event very early. Roddick had a much solid play, winning 80 percent of service points, 49 on return and hit 58 winners to 15th seed’s 35.
He beat his opponent in just over an hour to meet Juan Monaco in the last eight term. “I came here to get matches and in the worse case I’m now guaranteed three, which is more than I’ve played the entire summer. I feel like I’m coming into form a little bit, so I’m excited about it. Biggest thing for me is that I’m breaking serve and I’m going to hold most of the time, even on off days,” said the main favorite.
Giraldo won just 20 percent of return points and 51 on service, allowing the Texan to keep the sheet clean and become a real threat ahead of the upcoming American Grand Slam. Roddick is chasing his second straight title at the Winston tournament, and second of the year after the Memphis success.
His next opponent, Monaco crashed Japan Kei Nishikori 6-0, 6-3 in just over an hour after converting six out of ten break points. The Argentine, who has not won a title so far this season, won 64 percent of service points, 59 on return and hit 63 winners, compared to his opponent’s 41 service percentage, 36 return one and 39 winners.
Third seed Alexandr Dolgopolov edged Grigor Dimitrov in three sets 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 in what was the tightest meeting of the day. Not only did the Bulgarian pushed the meeting into a third set decider, but he even was on the edge of clinching the victory thanks to a solid play provided in the tie break. He thus forced the crowd favorite to win it after a 16 point epic.
Dolgopolov won the breaker at seven thanks to a late mini break which helped him stay alive to seal the win at the death. The two provided a similar play as Dolgopolov finished the clash with a 65 service percentage and a 36 return one, while his opponent set a 66 service percentage and a 35 one on returning points.
The American won the meeting despite hitting less winners, 96 to Dimitrov’s 102, the last set being crucial for his progress. The two also exchanged 19 aces, ten of which hit by Dolgopolov who broke his opponent twice. He saved at the same time five of eight breaks coming from the opposite side, not allowing the Bulgarian to go well ahead of him.
Next up for Dolgopolov is tenth seed Robin Haase who ousted Pierre Ludovic Duclos in straight sets 6-4, 7-5. The Dutch broke Duclos four times and conceded a couple of services, both in the second term. Haase, who fired three aces past the Canadian, who was following a big win against Ryan Harrison, won at the same time 61 percent of service points, 45 of return ones and hit 81 winners, compared to his opponent’s 55 service percentage, a 39 return one and 73 winners.
Duclos committed nine double faults which led to a lack of concentration especially in the first round which saw him commit four of them. Haase will meet Dolgopolov for the firs time this season, but will start the quarter final as a second favorite in front of the American.
The same day, Marcos Baghdatis eliminated Steve Darcis in straight sets after keeping the sheet clean in the second term, 7-5, 6-0. Despite a slow start which saw the Cypriot claim the opener thanks to a very late break, he managed to set the pace in the next one, winning 71 percent of service points to his opponent’s 33.
Overall, Baghdatis, who is looking for his good old days, won 67 percent of service points and 53 on return, breaking Darcis five times in 11 tries. On the other side, the Belgian broke his opponent just once, but never got the chance to go ahead of the favorite who sealed the victory in nearly one hour and a half.
Marcos will next meet John Isner, winner of the Newport event. The 26 year old American leads the head to head series 2-0 with the world number 60, having last defeated Baghdatis at this term’s Montreal event. His first win comes from the 2009 Los Angeles event.
Isner, a world number 28, upset Jarkko Nieminen 7-6, 6-2 in the third term thanks to two breaks grabbed in the second term. The Finnish pushed the opener into a tie breaker he eventually lost at four, while the second term saw him fall well behind the fourth seed who went four games ahead of him.
Nieminen conceded ten aces from the 6’9’’ Isner, who finished the game with a 86 impressive service percentage, and 63 winners. On contrast, the Finnish came up with a 67 service percentage and a poor 14 return one.
One of the biggest surprises came from Sergiy Stakhovsky who ousted the fifth favorite Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 6-4 after picking three breaks. Stakhovsky built seven break points, dominating the game at almost all facets. The Ukraine player converted 70 percent of service points and 42 of return, compared to Russian’s 58 service percentage and 30 return one.
His next opponent is Julien Benneteau of France who stunned Jurgen Melzer’s killer Igor Andreev after surviving an early scare, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6. Benneteau won the game at the death, thanks to a solid play provided in the breaker, which saw him go three mini breaks atop. The French won 62 percent of service points, three breaks and hit 107 winners, compared to his opponent’s 56 service percentage and 95 winners.
Winston Salem Prize Money and points:
Winner – $74,630 and 250 points ATP
Runner-up – $42,500 and 150 points ATP
Semi finalist – $24,520 points ATP
Quarter finalist – $14,435 and 45 points ATP
R16 – $8,410 and 20 points ATP
R32 – $5,110 and 10 points ATP
R48 – $3,115 and zero points
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