Mardy Fish Fights To Defeat Davydenko

Written by: Staff on 30th August 2012

Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington, DC

Mardy Fish Fights To Defeat Davydenko

epa03341716 Mardy Fish of the USA returns a ball from Tommy Haas of Germany during their semifinal match at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington, DC, USA, 04 August 2012. Hass defeated Fish in straight sets 6-3, 7-5. EPA/SHAWN THEW |

(Original Link: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/08/35/US-Open-Thursday-Fish-Fights-Back.aspx)

American Mardy Fish rallied from an 0-2 sets deficit for the second time in his career to defeat former World No. 3 and two-time US Open semi-finalist Nikolay Davydenko 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 Thursday afternoon on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

After coming up short in two close sets to start the second-round match, the No. 23-ranked Fish broke the Russian seven times over the final three sets to claim victory in three hours and 26 minutes. He notched his 20th match win of the season and 50th in Grand Slam action.

“It’s a big stage obviously just to win on, period,” said Fish. “But to be able to come back like that, especially against a great player, he’s been to the semi-finals twice here. He’s playing great tennis. His results recently haven’t been where he’s played consistently. He’s sort of been up and down. Maybe that’s what I was relying on a little bit, because he was playing great the first two sets.”

The 30 year old had previously come back from two sets down against Romanian Victor Hanescu in the first round of last year’s Australian Open.

Fish became the 10th player this week to complete a comeback after trailing by two sets, with a tournament record-tying nine men accomplishing the feat in their first-round matches.

Spaniard Pablo Andujar came close to joining that group Thursday, but was eventually edged out by 30th-seeded countryman Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-1, 6-7(5), 3-6, 7-5.

Three other Americans – No. 27 seed Sam Querrey, James Blake and Jack Sock – advanced to the third round with straight-sets wins Thursday.

Querrey and Blake did not face a break point on serve as both knocked out Spaniards. “I played great today,” said Querrey, who defeated Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 49 minutes. “I served well. Didn’t face a breakpoint. I was really aggressive on my forehand. Really went for it. Really just felt really good and confident the whole time.”

Meanwhile, two-time quarter-finalist Blake accounted for No. 24 seed Marcel Granollers 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 37 minutes and said afterwards, “Today’s match was one of the best matches I played in years I think. I served really well… I don’t go through matches like that that often, especially against a guy that’s 20 something in the world that’s known to be a pretty darn good returner and very solid.”

Querrey goes on to face sixth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych, who cruised past Estonia’s Jurgen Zopp 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. Blake will meet No. 15 seed Milos Raonic after the Canadian fired 30 aces in a 7-5, 6-4, 7-6(4) win over Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Sock, 19, capitalised on all six of his break point opportunities against Italian Flavio Cipolla for a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory. The 2011 US Open mixed doubles champion (w/Oudin) advances to the third round of a major for the first time.

Topics: 10sballs.com, American tennis news, Marcel Granollers, Mardy Fish, Nikolay Davydenko, Sports, Tennis News, US Open 2012