TENNIS ACAPULCO ATP 500 – Grigor Dimitrov bounced back from losing the second-set to wrap up the first-round match against Filip Krajinovic with a 21-minute bagel win in the third set for his 6-3 5-7 6-0. Diego Sampaolo
Grigor Dimitrov bounced back from losing the second-set to wrap up the first-round match against Filip Krajinovic with a 21-minute bagel win in the third set for his 6-3 5-7 6-0. Dimitrov faced problems in converting his break point opportunities. He earned 27 break points but he capitalized on just 8 opportunities but dropped his serve four times in the second set which featured seven breaks of serve. The Bulgarian player was more solid on serve in the decider and cruised to a bagel win to seal the win. He will face Ryan Harrison who advanced to the second round after Donald Young retired during the seventh game of the third set due to an arm injury as Harrison was leading 4-6 6-2 4-2.
Last year’s US Open champion Kei Nishikori fended off six of the seven break point chances he faced in his 6-3 7-5 win over Colombian qualifier Alejandro Gonzales. Nishikori will face last week’s Delray Beach Yen Hsun Lu who beat Quito champion Victor Estrella Burgos 6-2 7-5
David Ferrer followed up his win in Rio de Janeiro last week with a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) win over Igor Sijsling. Ferrer broke serve in the eighth game at deuce. Ferrer dropped serve twice in the second set but he won the tie-break with 7-4.
Last week’s Rio Open semifinalist Andreas Haider Maurer overcame Robin Haase with 6-3 2-6 6-2 to set up a second round against Aleksander Dolgopolov.
Ivo Karlovic edged Teymuraz Gabashvili with 6-4 3-6 6-2. It was a match dominated by serve where Karlovic dropped his serve only once in the second set.
In the women’s tournament Sara Errani, who won last week her 8th title in Rio de Janeiro, made a successful transition from clay to hard-court with a straight-set win over Lucie Hradecka with 6-1 6-3. Errani won 10 of 12 points from 3-3 in the second set to seal the win in 69 minutes. Errani won in Acapulco two years ago when the Mexican tournament was played on clay. “ It It was a little bit more of a favourite tournament before because it was on clay but it’s an unbelievable place for me”, said Errani.
Errani’s close friend Roberta Vinci withdrew when she was 6-5 down against Kiki Bertens in the first set due to a shoulder injury.
Johanna Larson upset Sloane Stephens 6-3 6-2. Magdalena Rybarikova beat Anja Tomljanovic 6-3 6-4.
The biggest star of of the Alberto Mexicano is Maria Sharapova who recovered from going down 0-2 against Rising Star Shelby Rodgers with a break in the opening game and being on verge of a double break down to hold the third game before breaking back to draw level to 3-3. Sharapova dropped just two games in the rest of the match cruising to a 6-4 6-1 win in one hour and 14 minutes. She won the last seven consecutive points.
“Your first match at a new tournament is never easy. You are getting to all of the conditions, a new place and a new atmosphere. You are adjusting your game a little bit. The court here is quite different to the surfaces I have competed on so far this year”, said Sharapova
