alexbogdanovic.myfreeforum.org

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QR1: F Lopez bt A Bogdanovic 6-2, 3-6, 7-6

Alex was unable to find a way past the experienced Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in the opening round of the Miami Masters Qualies as he went down 62, 36, 76. The match started with Lopez easily in control as he brushed Alex aside in the opening set, taking a double break against Alex and only dropping 1 point on his own serve. Things were looking bleak for Alex, but to his credit he fought his way back into the match and started to make some headway on Lopez's serve and was rewarded by an early break to take a 3-1 lead in the 2nd set. The set then followed serve with Alex not facing a single break point and closed it out 63 to take it into a decider.

Alex started the deciding set stronger, putting much more pressure on Lopez than at any another time in the match, but the former top 20 player held his nerve and saved several break points. The telling moments came towards the end with Lopez serving at 4-4; Alex went 0-40 up, but Lopez managed to claw back to deuce and take the game with 2 aces and several big serves. Alex had to serve to stay in the match, but put the disappointment from the previous game behind him and held to15. This led to the game of the match with Alex having 5 bp's against Lopez and a total of around 8 deuce points, but each time Lopez came up with a big serve winner to keep Boggo at bay and eventually held. Alex had had 10 break points in this set and not taken any! However Alex held firm serving to stay in the match for the 2nd time and held to 30 to take it into a tie break. Both players swapped early mini breaks, but it was Lopez who made the progress and eventually took the tie break 7-3.

Heartbreak for Alex after pushing a top 100 player so close, and having more than enough chances to take the match in the final set, but again falling short. After his outing in the master events alex will head back to the challenger circuit with 50k in Tallahassee in a couple of weeks where hopefully the experiences of playing against the likes of Lopez will hold him in good stead to make some progress.