Nalbandian Sails Through Again
Thursday, June 26, 2003
There seems to be some sort of pattern emerging here. The seeds
make a bolt for the exit in the first couple of days and a quiet
Argentinean settles in with a packet of sandwiches and a Thermos
of tea, looking like he intends to stick around for a while yet.
Have you read this scenario before?
David Nalbandian, the Count of Cordoba, moved with not a little
purpose into the third round, brushing past Andre Sa 6-2, 7-5,
6-2. It may not have been his most impressive performance at the
All England Club but at least it got the job done.
Twelve months ago nobody noticed as Nalbandian crept through the
early stages of the tournament. After all, a bloke from Argentina
could not possibly make waves round these parts. Could he? He could,
all right, as he went all the way through to the final. This year
the big names may be hogging the limelight but there are more than
a few eyes on Argentina's most famous export just in case he does
it again.
Sa, like Nalbandian, is not really made for that most British of
sports, grass court tennis. The boy from Brazil ought not to be
much cop at this biff-baff-bosh style of play and yet he made way
through to the quarter finals last year, taking a set from Tim
Henman before returning to Belo Horizonte for a well earned rest.
Against Nalbandian he had one chance to get ahead, missed it,
and fell by the wayside. Nalbandian's serve was stubbornly
refusing to co-operate - four aces were countered by eight
double faults - and briefly in the second set it gave Sa the
opportunity to move into the lead.
Sa's biggest problem was that last year's finalist was making
serious progress with his returns and whatever Sa threw at him,
he walloped back with interest. Relying on the basic nuts and
bolts of his game - hit it hard and hit it accurately from the
baseline and see what happens - Nalbandian weathered the second
set storm and then shut up shop. Back in charge in the third set,
he was never troubled again.
Written by Alix Ramsay
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