06 Feb 2004 - Les Arenes, Metz, FRA - Gordan Gabrovec
France Takes the Lead Against Croatia in Metz
Arnaud Clement made good on his promise. In Metz, the French No. 1 took two
hours and six minutes to dispose of Croatian Mario Ancic 64 63 63, and give
France a 1-0 lead against Croatia in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group
first round tie.
The match was full of promise in the early stages for the young Croatian. But
Ancic failed to make good on his chances during the first set, and after it
was never easy. Clement was just too good, and as the match rolled on, the
Frenchman was getting better and better. Once he broke Ancic, and served out
the first set, Clemont was almost faultless, sometimes perfect, sometimes
spectacular - and never boring. The first set was difficult, but from then
on it was one-way traffic. Clemont had Ancic where he wanted him. At a
distance, with the Frenchman winning most of the rallies.
Ancic fired up first, holding two break points in the fourth game, and two
more in the eighth. But that was the time Clement chose to serve at his best.
He made four straight first serves to level at 2-2, then served an ace, and a
forehand winner to get back on track for 4-4. For Ancic that was it; the
Croatian never held another break point.
Disaster was coming in game nine. Ancic failed to conect on a smash that was
actually going out, fell to 15-40, Clement's first break chance, and even
though Ancic managed to ge the score to deuce, he lost his serve with some
poor ground strokes, his backhand costing him dearly. Ancic had been up by
4-3 in the first set, but lost five games in a row and never recovered.
Clement took a comanding lead 64 2-0, and never looked back, making only
seven unforced errors in the las two sets compared to 17 in the first. Once
he took off, there was no way for Ancic to come back.
The Croatian was impresed by Clement. "I started off great, had some chances
in the first set, but Clement was just a better player at the right time, and
important points. I felt there was, seven, eight key points in the match, and
Clement won them all. And that was really the story of this match. Clement
just played better. Disappointed? It's tough to lose, but I did what I
could."
Ever since getting the first break, Clement was never in doubt, it was hit
and run most of the way. Ancic tried to stay with the Frenchman, but it was
always going to be a long shot, the way Clement played. Clement broke again
for the second set, took a 2-0 lead in third, and did it his way. He was
serving great, 62 per cent of his first serves going in, while Ancic made
56 per cent. Clement saved four break points, and converted four out of
nine. And a lot of forehands.
"I would not get so carried away as to say it was one of the best Davis Cup
matches I played, maybe the best of the year, but I expected to play well. It
was the reflection of the week of great practice. So, no, I'm not surprised,
even though this was the first Davis Cup match that I won in straight sets."
Some seem to think that Clement was just too good, Ancic included, and that
is a fair comment. Some others seem to think that Ancic 'had no real idea'
how to play against Clement. It's tough to say. "Maybe I could have done more
tactically, but I tried to mix a bit. It did not work, he ran all the balls,
made some great forehands, and even better passes. Just too good."
For Clement it was a good match. Just the way he wanted. "I expected Mario
to serve well, and be aggressive. And he tried for most of the match. But
Ancic made too many mistakes, unforced errors, I think he could have played
better."
France took a 1-0 lead, and Theirry Ascione takes on Ivan Ljubicic in the
second rubber.
http://www.daviscup.com/news/newsarticle.asp?id=12739
--
monkey! monkey! monkeymon!
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 61.70.206.23