Janko Tipsarevic defeated Mikhail Youzhny 7-6 (2), 6-4 to move into the third round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto today.
With some top players absent and others prone to unexpected defeats due to the demands of last week’s Olympics tennis tournament, there’s an opportunity here in Toronto for someone to make an unexpected breakthrough. Tipsarevic, who was just edged out of his No. 8 ranking by Juan Martin del Potro this week and will be desperate to get it back, is looking to defend his semifinal in Montreal last year.
It was a match of fine margins as Youzhny and Tipsarevic have similar strengths and weaknesses, and the parity between them is born out by the match stats: 57 to 56 first-serve percentage, 15 winners each, 20 unforced errors from Youzhny to Tipsarevic’s 19. Tipsarevic was the first to open the door a crack at 2-3 in the first set with a double fault and then an errant forehand, before Youzhny on break point put a forehand long and Tipsarevic played a sensational backhand pass to get out of danger and hold. Tipsarevic was pressed hard on his next service game, too, but when he needed a strong hold most — at 4-5 down — he came up with a love hold highlighted by an ace and three service winners. It swung the momentum back in his direction and he earned the first break, attacking behind a good return, stretching Youzhny out wide to his forehand then putting the ball back behind him.
It was a tactic which worked for Tipsarevic throughout the match, but unfortunately the corollary was his struggles in serving out. With a chance to seal the set, he played a poor game to be broken to 15 and had to take his chances in a tiebreak. Youzhny immediately gave up a mini break when he tried to be too cute off a net-cord ball, and Tipsarevic served strongly to ride that advantage to a 7-2 victory and the first set. When he converted his second break point of the second set at 3-4, bringing Youzhny in then passing him down the line, he had a chance to serve for the match at 5-3. This time, Youzhny looked beaten enough to be indulging in a little theater, flinging his racquet after a ball he was vainly chasing on the first point. Still, Tipsarevic made a rash of forehand errors to be broken and put himself right back into the thick of a match he should have finished.
It was Youzhny’s turn to make a hash of his service game, opening with a double fault, then coming out on the losing end of an 18-shot rally which saw Tipsarevic come up with a great cross-court backhand angle to get into net. A few points later, Youzhny put a backhand down the line into the net to end a match in which Tipsarevic’s greater aggression and facility at going down the lines was just enough to secure a straight sets victory.