Expected decline from Kei, but good for Stakh who didn't win last two months
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EDITED: report from Ricky Dimon (http://www.tennistalk.com/en/match_...sters /2011/Kei_Nishikori_-_Sergiy_Stakhovsky)
Kei Nishikori's stellar 2011 campaign comes to an end at the hands of Sergiy Stakhovsky on Tuesday in Paris. Stakhovsky advanced to a second-round meeting with Viktor Troicki.
Sergiy Stakhovsky came back from a break down in both sets to dismiss Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday afternoon. Stakhovsky saved 12 of 14 break points and advanced after one hour and 31 minutes.
Nishikori was playing just two days after finishing runner-up to Roger Federer in Basel. The world No. 24 appeared to have recovered from his long week when he broke early in the opening set, but it quickly fell apart for him. Stakhovsky got back on serve then used his second break of the day at 5-4 to clinch the set.
The second progressed in similar fashion, with Nishikori breaking quickly only to give it away at 2-1. That started a streak of four straight games for Stakhovsky, who surged from 2-1 down to 5-2 up. The 63rd-ranked Ukrainian delivered an incredible backhand pass at 4-2 and was off to the races. Stakhovsky ran into some trouble on serve at 5-3 but fought off two more break points then closed out the match with two straight perfect serve-and-volley plays.
Nishikori was doomed by winning barely more than half of his total service points. Still, Japan's top-ranked player ends the season with a stellar 36-22 record.
Stakhovsky struck five aces and two double-faults en route to a second-round clash against Viktor Troicki.
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EDITED: report from Ricky Dimon (http://www.tennistalk.com/en/match_...sters /2011/Kei_Nishikori_-_Sergiy_Stakhovsky)
Kei Nishikori's stellar 2011 campaign comes to an end at the hands of Sergiy Stakhovsky on Tuesday in Paris. Stakhovsky advanced to a second-round meeting with Viktor Troicki.
Sergiy Stakhovsky came back from a break down in both sets to dismiss Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday afternoon. Stakhovsky saved 12 of 14 break points and advanced after one hour and 31 minutes.
Nishikori was playing just two days after finishing runner-up to Roger Federer in Basel. The world No. 24 appeared to have recovered from his long week when he broke early in the opening set, but it quickly fell apart for him. Stakhovsky got back on serve then used his second break of the day at 5-4 to clinch the set.
The second progressed in similar fashion, with Nishikori breaking quickly only to give it away at 2-1. That started a streak of four straight games for Stakhovsky, who surged from 2-1 down to 5-2 up. The 63rd-ranked Ukrainian delivered an incredible backhand pass at 4-2 and was off to the races. Stakhovsky ran into some trouble on serve at 5-3 but fought off two more break points then closed out the match with two straight perfect serve-and-volley plays.
Nishikori was doomed by winning barely more than half of his total service points. Still, Japan's top-ranked player ends the season with a stellar 36-22 record.
Stakhovsky struck five aces and two double-faults en route to a second-round clash against Viktor Troicki.
