Martin Klizan came back from a set down to battle past sixth seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (8-6) 6-0 in 2 hours and 44 minutes in the quarter final of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam. In a dramatic match the Spanish player could not convert five match points in the second set before losing the decider with a bagel. With this win Klizan broke a four-match losing streak against Bautista Agut.
Bautista carried a 14-2 win-loss record coming into the match and looked to be cruising to a comfortable win until the first eight games of the second set. Bautista hit 51 winners and 21 of 30 trips to the net.
Bautista reeled off the first six points of the match to break serve in the second game for 2-0. He consolidated the break to hold his service game but Klizan broke back. The Slovakian player won the next two games to claw his way back to 3-3. Bautista held his service game in the 7th game before earning two break points as Klizan made a double fault. Klizan rallied from 15-40 by reeling off four consecutive points to draw level to 4-4. Bautista made a serve volley at 40-15 to hold his service game. Klizan held his serve to love. The set came down to the tie-break. Klizan was the first to get a mini-break for 3-1. Bautista broke back for 3-3. The Spanish player earned two second points at 6-4 and converted his second chance to take the first set.
In the second set Klizan saved two match points when serving at 4-5 and three more match points in the next game on Bautista’s serve. The Slovakian player converted a break point on the brink of defeat with a superb forehand return down the line to draw level to 5-5. The second set came down to the tie-break where the Slovakian hit a stunning forehand winner down the line to win the second set on his second set point.
Tiredness took its toll on Bautista, who played his third consecutive three-set match this week. Klizan went up a break at the start of the third set and held his serve in the second game for 2-0. The Slovakian player got the double break for 3-0 with a backhand volley. Klizan converted his third break point in the fifth game to cruise to 5-0. Serving for the match Klizan brought up two match points with two consecutive aces and a backhand winner. He struck a backhand volley on the match point to seal the third set with a bagel.
Klizan clinched his first win in five head-to-head matches against Bautista Agut and avenged a five-set defeat against the Spanish player in the Australian Open first round last January.
“It was a very tough match. I was almost on the plane. I saved five match points, which is incredible. I am very happy that I won breaking his four match-winning streak he had over me. Of course, you could see that Roberto has played a lot of matches so far, but still it was a real battle out there. Despite Roberto’s match points, I kept fighting because it isn’t over until it’s over, you know”, said Klizan
Klizan will face Nicolas Mahut who swept aside Viktor Troicki 6-2 6-1 to become the first player to reach the semifinals in Rotterdam. It was a remarkable achievement for Mahut, who started the tournament as a qualifier.
Mahut, the oldest player in the draw at 34, dropped just three points on his first serve, broke serve four times and fended off the three break points he faced. Mahut won 23 of 26 points played on his first serve to take a re-match against Troicki who beat the French player last month in Sydney.
“Maybe I should file a request for more tournaments in Holland”, said Mahut, who won two titles on grass at s’Hertogenbosch.
“It seemed as if Viktor was still a bit tired after playing the final in Sofia last week but things are going well for me here in Rotterdam, as I am in the doubles semifinals as well”, said Mahut.
