A burning setback came from the red clay of Bastad (Sweden). Marco Cecchinato was eliminated in the round of 16 of the Scandinavian tournament, defeated 4-6 6-4 6-3 by the Argentine Federico Coria (n.77 of the ranking). After a good first set played, the Sicilian dropped to the distance, making many mistakes and favoring the solid and constant tennis of the South American.
In cousin set, after an “exchange of courtesies”, in the third and fourth game, the two players find a minimum of balance in the serve, but the situation is repeated at the end of the fraction. In this continuous alternation of situations, Cecchinato won 6-4, making the most of the consistency of his response to Coria’s too soft second.
In second set the Argentine records something in the serve, while conceding a dangerous break point in the sixth game. That’s where the game turns a bit, given that shortly after the Palermo player suffers the decisive break for the fate of the partial. The n.77 in the world serves the best and ties the score at 6-4.
In terzo set Coria immediately takes off, snatching the Italian’s turn in the opening serve. The performance in the service of the South American is excellent and there is no possibility of a counter-break. The gloss comes inevitable with the second break of the set that brings the curtain down at 6-3.
A match in which the blue struggled so much with the second serve, with which he collected only 46% of the points, and also in response from the second set forward. 28% of the points obtained with the latter fundamental, compared to the first of the Argentine, is emblematic.
Photo: Valerio Origo
