Matches
Singles R1 - Vardhan. V vs Dodig. I
|
Winner: Ivan Dodig
| Vardhan. V | 6 | 6(8) | 1 |
| Dodig. I | 4 | 7 | 6 |
“It was a long match... But I played my best tennis.”
“He is the highest ranked player I have played... I'm happy I could compete ball to ball, serve to serve”
Dodig rallies to defeat Vardhan
CHENNAI, 2nd January 2011 - Indian wild card Vishnu Vardhan almost pulled off the biggest victory of his career before Croatian world No. 36 Ivan Dodig turned the contest on its head to win 4-6 7-6 (8) 6-1 in the first round of the Aircel Chennai Open 2012 on Monday.
On a day when another local wild card Yuki Bhambri warmed Indian hearts by defeating higher-ranked Karol Beck of Slovak Republic 6-2 6-3, Vardhan blew five match points that could have seen him seize what would have been his first victory on the Tour.
Vardhan, ranked 312 in the world, played fluently in the first set, as he turned the heat on Dodig before breaking the Croat in the 10th game to clinch the set.
"It was a long match... But I played my best tennis. He is the highest ranked player I have played... I'm happy I could compete ball to ball, serve to serve," Vardhan said.
The 24-year-old Vardhan, however, rued the missed opportunities in the second set where he failed to utilize five match points to allow Dodig to claw back.
Indian Davis Cup player Vardhan was up 6-5 and leading 40-15 on Dodig's serve but failed to close it. The Hyderabad player had three match points in the tie-breaker but again failed to utilize them.
"I am feeling very bad... It would have been the biggest win of my career," said Vardhan, who beat current world No. 25 Kei Nishikori in the Davis Cup against Japan.
The Croatian turned in a dominating performance in the final set and won in two hours and 35 minutes.
