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Grosjean recovers to put France in driving seat
http://www.daviscup.com/news/matchreport.asp?id=14057
Sebastien Grosjean recovered from two-sets-to-love down to defeat Andrei
Pavel 46 57 63 61 61 and give France a 2-0 lead against Romania in
Clermont-Ferrand.
Fitness the key for Grosjean
Speaking after his earlier straight sets thrashing of Victor Hanescu,
French No. 1 Richard Gasquet said he had read reports in a leading French
newspaper this morning that his teammate Grosjean was “almost retired” –
at the ripe old age of 28. “It’s not true,” said Gasquet. “He is a great
player and he will win many more points for us.”
It was ironic, therefore, that Grandpa Grosjean was up against a man five
years his senior in the second rubber, and that his excellent fitness would
help him prevail. He staged a stirring comeback to defeat Andrei Pavel 46 57
63 61 62 and give France a seemingly unassailable 2-0 lead going into
Saturday’s doubles rubber.
“I really had fun today,” said Grosjean. “I’ve got a lot of experience
in Davis Cup and I’ve played a lot of exciting matches. When you are two
sets down and in France in the Davis Cup it’s always nice to come back.”
Pavel on the attack
For an hour-and-a-half it looked as though Pavel, about whom his captain
had said yesterday “when he is playing good he can beat anyone,” would
surmount the 73-place deficit in the rankings and get the better of the
former world No. 4. He produced some wonderfully attacking tennis early
on, using his single-handed backhand to move the Frenchman around the
perimeter of the court.
Timing the ball sweetly, he broke Grosjean in the ninth game of the opening
set and served it out, thanks in part to some assured serve-volleying. The
home fans, who had been so vociferous during the opening rubber between
Gasquet and Hanescu, had been silenced.
As neither player dominated on serve, Grosjean built a 5-2 lead in the
second set. He held a succession of set points but Pavel resisted and
reeled off five consecutive games to open up a two-set lead, waving his
racket in the air in celebration.
Grosjean turnaround
It proved to be premature. Grosjean, scurrying around the court like a
whippet, shuffling with those idiosyncratic short steps of his, immediately
opened up a 3-0 lead in the third set and clinched it 63.
With his captain Guy Forget squatted in front of him at each change of ends,
Grosjean only grew in confidence as a comeback looked probable. He raced
through the fourth set, taking it 61 inside 28 minutes. He told me to hit
the ball a little bit harder and be closer to the baseline, and take the
chance to come to the net,” said Grosjean. “I was more of an opportunist
after that.”
There only ever looked like being one winner in the decider ,and the home
player duly broke at the beginning and opened up another 3-0 lead. On
several occasions he hit improbable winners while pegged so far behind
the baseline he could have shaken hands with spectators. The crowd lapped
it up, while Pavel slammed his racket to the ground in frustration as he
lamented a chance that had been and gone.
Fittingly, it was another running passing shot that sealed victory for
Grosjean after three hours and 31 minutes of dynamic hitting.
He said: “I was more aggressive in the third, fourth and fifth. Pavel
was playing well [in the first two sets], he was taking the ball really
early. After that it changed a little bit. I was more inside the court,
I served better. That kind of surface is pretty quick so you have to be
aggressive.”
The win, his third in his career from two-sets-to-love down, means that
France will wrap up the tie if Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement beat
Florian Mergea and Horia Tecau in the doubles rubber tomorrow.
Grosjean said: “I hope Michael and Arnaud are going to play well and
bring the third point for the team.”
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