Somdev battles into second round

Chennai, Jan. 5: Somdev Devvarman shook off his early nerves to march into the second round of the Aircel Chennai Open tennis tournament at the Nungambakkam Stadium here on Tuesday.

The Indian sensation, last year’s runner-up here, battled his way back to beat former world No. 5 Rainer Schuettler 7-5, 6-2 in the first round. Somdev will meet Janko Tipsarevic in the next round.

Down 2-5 in the first game, Somdev had a mountain to climb. The Indian Davis Cupper did it in style by winning five games in a row to go 1-0 up. He started the second set with bang by breaking the German in the opening game. Schuettler failed to hold his serve again in the fifth game before handing over the match to the local favourite.

Meanwhile, World No.8 Robin Soderling has joined an ignominious list in Chennai Open tournament. The 25-year-old Swede became the third top seed in the 15-year history of the event to be packed off in the first round when he fell to American Robby Ginepri 4-6, 5-7. Interestingly, the last top seed to exit in the opener was Soderling’s coach Magnus Norman in 2001.

Soderling showed glimpses of the skills that helped him topple an array of big names including Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. The 2009 French Open finalist looked completely off-colour on the court with his most potent weapon, a ferocious forehand, killing him.

“Everything went wrong. I didn’t feel comfortable and I was not able to play well,” said the disappointed Soderling.

Soderling had to fight all the way in the 90-minute contest. In a first set that went with serve for the first six games, it was the American who drew first blood, breaking the Swede in the seventh game to lead 4-3.

Thereafter, he appeared resigned and ready to try his fortune in a three setter. Ginepri sealed the set in the 10th game with an ace.

Soderling was on the back foot in the first game of the second, facing three break points to begin with. But he saved all and pocketed the game with two successive aces.

For the next four games, Soderling lived up to the hype he had created, dominating the proceedings to take a 4-1 lead.

Lastly, in the 11th Soderling played his worst, getting broken to love. That handed the American a 6-5 lead and he completed the formality in the next.

Earlier, Michael Russel’s groundstrokes proved too hot to handle for Prakash Amritraj as the qualifier went down to the American 3-6, 1-6.