1st Round: You Never Forget Your First

Today was a long day but that was bound to happen when you had most of the matches cancelled yesterday due to rain. The unfortunate flipside to this, was that the venue was very full today with the vast majority of the crowd being the types who go to be seen and not actually care about tennis. You know this is the case when the Ito vs. Gunnesawaran match was full and the audience wasn’t just the coaches, friends or fans from the respective countries.

The Mailman and Schwartzman were on at the same time but very difficult to get a seat. So yes, the day started at Court 11, someone has to cover the marquee matches.

Davidovich Fokina vs. Gombos

Gombios had qualified for the event whereas Foki has not won a match this season as of yet. First set started Gombos was hitting the ball well with Foki a bit unsettled and making errors. Gombos was too solid and took the first set. In the second Foko was able to move the big man around using his variety of spins and angles to keep him off balance to take the second set.

It’s not a Davidovich Fokina match without some swings in momentum from the glorious to the ludicrous. Gombos kept it at a steady level and out of nowhere Foki plays the dumb service game to get broken and the Slovak takes a 2sets to 1 lead.


Davidovich Fokina

Turning point of the match was at *2-2 with Foki serving , he saved a multitude of break points and ended up holding serve. The next game Foki broke Gombos to love with some excellent strokes and drop shots to move the bigger man around. The changes of pace was contributing to Gombos being out of position and heavy legged. Foki levels at 2 sets all.

Foki breaks Gombos first service game in the 5th. Of course he went down 15-40 but managed to hold on. From there he gained confidence with drop shots, lobs and moving serve around as Gombis was gassed and Foki got the double break and comfortably won his first ever match at Slam level. The joy was there to be seen and enjoyed he now plays Schwartzman who chopped Lloyd Harris big time.

Mayer vs. Paul

There is one player who is in form and then there is Leo Mayer. Paul has started the season well after rebuilding in 2019. Mayer has been in his down part of his up and down like career,

Big Mayer took the1st set but managed to go down an early break in the 2nd which he never recovered from. Turning point of the match midway through the 3rd set was 30-30. Mayer manages to serve two double faults in a row into the net to give the Paul break. Once Paul had the break he never felt threatened as Mayer was too erratic to sustain and create chances to put pressure on the American. A comfortable win for Paul.

Micke Ymer vs Uchiyama

Speaking of comfortable, this was the way to describe this match. After a semi competitive first set. Ymer lost 3 games in the last 2 sets, he was hardly making an errors on the backhand side. The forehand has more loop and the side he needs to be more aggressive on if he is to progress up the rankings.


Micke Ymer

What Micke Ymer has is an understanding of the game, well that’s natural when you can’t brainless ballbash like the bigger guys.

Seepi vs. Kecmanovic

For some reason Kecmanovic was a huge favourite over the King off South Tyrol who normally plays well in Melbourne. They have never played each other, so the first set was the feeling out process.

Seppi was serving well hitting the spots and striking the forehand cleanly to keep the Serbian off balance. Seppi had many chances to break in the 1st set but only needed one to take the set.

The 2nd set continues in the same pattern with Seppi not making errors from the baseline and moving the serve. Kecmanovic was not serving that well, making a lot of forehand errors but showing that his double handed backhand is world class.


Seppi

In the 5th game of 2nd set Seppi breaks and hold serve to go 4-2 up. At 5-4 30-30 when Seppi doesn’t challenge an out call but thankfully Kecmanovic makes another forehand error and Seppi takes a 2 set to 0 lead.

Seppi takes an early break in the 3rd but gives back the break with some loose errors. The Serbian is serving better and making some forehands. The King doesn’t panic while not serving as well as previous 2 sets and a few poor drop shots he is doing enough to keep holding serve. Both hold serve to the tiebreaker,
The King of South Tyrol played a quality tiebreaker as Kecmanovic made a few forehand errors for Seppi to win in straight sets. It was an excellent and solid performance from the King of Kaltern.

Sinner vs Purcell

This was a continuation of the match yesterday. Sinner aka the Prince, he will only be the King when Seppi retires from the sport. Sinner is a big talent when you start from outside 1000 in 2019 and end up in the top 100 that speaks for itself. Sinner is a tall guy but he plays tennis whereas other big guys hit tennis balls there is a difference.

The timing on the Prince’s groundstokes is crisp and very little difference between forehand and backhand side which along with court intelliegence make him a forimidable opponent already. He lost his serve in the 1st set and Purcell served for it 5-4 30 all had a very easy mid court forehand, missed it and once that chance was gone. There was only one winner.

Match finished very quickly today but not before Sinner tubed Purcell. The tube otherwise known as drilling the ball hard at the net player. There’s nothng wrong with it as it’s the easiest way to win the point.

Martinez vs. Koepfer

Another straight sets win for Pedro Martinez. That’s 3 qualie matches and this today, that’s 9 sets in a row. Coach Daniel Gimeno Traver might need to take this up full time.

Martinez plays the percentages very well, will defend if necessary but no problems going to the net to finish points off which is never a bad thing. Koepfer served for the 3rd on the ad side tried the left handed swinging serve but not could not get it wide enough where Martinez hits a backhand return winner. Koepfer dropped his bundle and Martinez does it again.

Cuevas vs. Simon

Cuevas wins at life.

Tablio vs. Galan

Quailifer vs. Qualifier can be very fun matches at best with so much on the line for these guys in relation to points and money.

The crowd for this was fantastic with duelling chants from Chilean and Colombian fans creative a festive atmosphere where both players were trying their hearts out. That’s what the Challenger tour is about grinding, courage and waiting for the moment to shine on the big stage when it happens.

Tablo ended up breaking to win the match and what a celebreation the raw emotion was someone who won their first ever match on the main tour. Yes, he never won one at ATP level. Tablio hugged the Chilean fans, took plenty of photos and got an interview with the king of ESPN Latin America Miiguel Simon.

As they say you never forget your first.