THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Haase makes it look easy in round one

Haase makes it look easy in round one

Dutchman likely to meet Nieminen or countryman Sijsling in round 2

Dutchman Robin Haase became the first player to enter the second round of the US$567,530 ATP Thailand Open when he whipped Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain 6-2 6-4 on a quiet opening day at the Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani.
The lanky, bearded player was not really tested by the clay specialist as he relied on his superior groundstrokes to take the match in just 71 minutes in the first match of the main draw with only a handful of spectators watching him.
“It was not easy. In the first set at 4-2 he had a break point. But when I held that serve I won the set quite easily. In the second set I had to watch out too as he could come back from 0-40 to deuce in a game. I had to be really careful and played my points the same way I did in the first set,” said the 60th ranked Haase who beat Gimeno-Traver 6-2 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 in the French Open first round in 2011.
“That was more than two years ago. I don’t think it’s important. Yes it could give me a slight advantage as knew I could beat him but this is not his favourite surface as he loves to play on clay. I know if I can hit the ball faster it will give him problems,” said Haase who will play either seventh-seeded Jarkko Nieminen of Finland or countryman Igor Sijsling in the second round.
“I played Nieminen here before and I never beat him in my career so it’s going to be a difficult match. If I play Sijsling it will be tough too as he is my countryman and I lost to him this year in a close match. But it will be nice to have one Dutch player in the quarter-finals.”
Haase got off to a quick start, breaking the Spaniard twice to stride to a huge lead at 5-2 in the first set. After slipping away the first set point, he wrapped up the 32-minute opener with a huge serve that Gimeno-Traver returned long.
Again he broke right at the start and secured it until the end. He needed the fifth match point to wrap up the encounter after the Spaniard netted a backhand return.
In the afternoon, tournament’s third-seeded Milos Raonic finally arrived in Bangkok after having a week off from the Davis Cup semi-finals a few weeks ago in which Canada narrowly lost to Serbia 3-2.
“I love it here. I came here many years ago for Futures and then last year for the tournament. So hopefully I would have some better results and some better memories for myself,” said the world No 11 who lost the quarter-final 12 months ago to Nieminen.
The 22-year-old Montenegro–born caused a hype at home in August by reaching the Motreal Masters final that propelled him to his career peak of No 10. He believes in his chances to win in Bangkok.
“I think I have the level to win. I just have to produce that level on a consistent basis. I’m feeling good about the way I have been playing,” said the big-serving Raonic who admitted he was a fan of Pad Thai, a widely known Thai dish.
Meanwhile in the final qualifying competition, top seed and world No 89 Santiago Giraldo of Colombia needed just 63 minutes to move past Hiroki Moriya of Japan 6-4 6-1. Countryman and second seed Alehandro Falla also booked a spot in the main draw following a 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 win over Oliver Marach of Austria. Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland ended the run of eighth seed Karunday Singh of India 4-6 6-1 6-4. The last spot was taken by third seed Go Soeda of Japan who came back from a set down to beat German Simon Stadler 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 6-4.
 
 
 
 
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