TENNIS ATP MARSEILLE – Simone Bolelli battled past Milos Raonic in three hard-fought sets with 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-5) to register the best win of his career after one hour and 56 minutes to get through to the quarter finals at the Open 13 in Marseille. Diego Sampaolo
Simone Bolelli battled past Milos Raonic in three hard-fought sets with 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-5) to register the best win of his career after one hour and 56 minutes to get through to the quarter finals at the Open 13 in Marseille, a ATP 250 Tournament. Bolelli recorded his first top-10 win against Number 1 seed and World Number 6 player Milos Raonic at the tie-break of the third set.
Bolelli recored his first ever win after 35 consecutive defeats against top-10 players. The Italian played had lost his previous two head-to-head matches in Rome last year and in Rotterdam last week.
Bolelli saved a break point in the fifth game of the first set at 3-2 15-40 before taking the break at 4-4. He served out for the first set for 6-4. Raonic won only 50 percent of his first serve points
Raonic found a better rhythm in the second set and broke serve for 3-1 before opening up a 5-2 lead in the second set to force the match to the third set
Bolelli faced the only break point at the start of the third set but he saved it. The third set went on serve until the tie-break. Bolelli opened up a 4-1 lead with a mini-break. Raonic clawed his way back to 3-4 but Bolelli won the decisive next point after a long rally to pull away to 5-3. Bolelli won the final two points to clinch the breaker with 7-3.
“There were many close games, but I could not make the most of my chances. I served better as the match went on but he made it through when it mattered the most”, said a disappointed Raonic
The two players met last week in Rotterdam where Raonic beat Bolelli in the Round of 16.
Bolelli showed that he has the potential to improve his career-high ranking of Number 36 reached in 2009 in the near future.
Bolelli will take on Gael Monfils in the quarter finals.
“Today I served very well. It is difficult to play against him. It was not easy to find the rhythm. I did not play well in the second set where I made some forehand errors”, said Bolelli.
“After the injury in 2013 I have fully recovered. I am now playing well and I feel in good shape. I have three or four years ahead of me. The win of the Australian Open doubles title was the greatest joy in my career”, said Bolelli.
David Goffin was trailing 1-5 in the first set against Dominic Thiem when he was forced to withdraw due to a rib injury.
Giles Simon fended off five of the eight break points he faced to edge past Croatian rising star Borna Coric with 6-2 3-6 6-3.
