Haas hangs on
By Lisa Zimmerman
Saturday, September 1, 2007
It went down to the wire when No. 10 Tommy Haas from
Germany faced Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean in their third
round match on the Grandstand court. Haas managed to
hold on, advancing to the fourth round with a 6-2, 6-4,
3-6, 4-6, 6-3 win.
As the match began, Haas looked as though he was late
for an appointment elsewhere, coming out firing on all
cylinders. From his serve to his baseline shots to his net play,
everything was executed in textbook-like fashion. He broke
Grosjean’s first two serves to go up 4-0. Grosjean went on to
win his third serve, however, Haas pressed on alternating
screaming baseline shots with overhead smashes, as well
as the occasional drop shot.
For a while, it looked like Haas was simply reading Grosjean’s
mind, positioning himself perfectly for every return. Up 5-2,
the German served out the first set in a total of just 38 minutes.
The second set went along the same lines as the first. Grosjean,
for a moment, seemed to be settling in, but his continued
unforced errors – he sent ball after ball into the net – wreaked
havoc with his rhythm. At one point, all Grosjean could do was
stand with his hands on his hips, in seeming disbelief as Haas
sent yet another winner past him, winning the second set as well.
Then in the third, things slowed down a bit and the tide
started to turn. With Haas on serve at 3-4, just three games
from taking the set and the match, Grosjean had his first
break of the day and then held his next serve for the set.
In the fourth, Grosjean continued to ride the wave, and broke
to go up 2-1. Haas appeared to be struggling with the focus
and accuracy he established earlier in the match, and ultimately
Grosjean served again at 5-3 and put another set in the win
column.
In the fifth, it was an even start and then Haas regained the
momentum he had lost in the third and finally up 5-3 he
served for the victory.
Grandstand - Men's Singles - 3rd Round
Tommy Haas GER (10) Winner 6 6 3 4 6
Sebastien Grosjean FRA 2 4 6 6 3
Match Facts
- This is the 9th time Haas and Grosjean have faced each
other in competition. Grosjean leads 5-4.
- This is Haas' 11th US Open and Grosjean's 10th.
- The two last played each other in Open competition in
2004 in the second round. Haas won 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-1.
- Both Haas and Grosjean are 29 years old.
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