Monte Carlo: David fights back, makes Round 3

In his second three-set match at Monte Carlo David came back from being down a set and a break to defeat Marcel Granollers 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. The match lasted a little over two hours and David seemed to be battling more with himself than with his opponent during the early stages of it. But he was able to overcome those difficulties and fight his way back into the match.
How much energy these two matches have cost David will become clear tomorrow when he'll face Nikolay Davydenko in the third round. Their match record stands at 6-4 in David's favour and he won their last encounter at the Paris Masters. But the Russian won their last match on clay at last year's Davis Cup semifinal, where after winning the first set David didn't have enough strength left to keep up with Davydenko anymore.

Summary...
David served first in this set and began with a slightly shaky hold. Afterwards, both held their serve fairly comfortably until at 2-1 for David, the time came for the game that probably ended up deciding the outcome of the first set. Granollers served and David had all in all 6 break points (3 of those in a row at 0-40) in that game but couldn't convert any of them. Wasting at least 2 of those break points with unforced errors that came from going for winners too early in the rally. In the end, Granollers scraped through to 2-2. David was visibly frustrated. And as it is so often the case after so many wasted opportunities, it was now David who struggled in the following game and found himself down 15-40. David fended off the first break point by hitting a volley directly at Granollers. But on the second, the Spaniard gave David a taste of the shot that would continue to do damage in this match - his drop-shot. In this case a clean winner and the break for Granollers, 3-2. During the next game, David began to show more signs of frustration. Berating himself and breaking a string on his racquet while taking his anger out on a ball that was lying on the ground. But he couldn't keep Granollers from consolidating his break, 4-2. After holding easily for 4-3 (and seemingly calming down again), David then had 2 further break points. At the first, Granollers hit a service winner but David protested heatedly, claiming that he wasn't ready or maybe that there was too much movement in the stands. But on the second in this game and the eighth overall, Granollers committed the error and gifted the break back to David, 4-4. When, however, David started his following service game with a double fault, it was clear that there was trouble ahead... He immediately went down 0-40, then another drop-shot from Granollers was followed by a volley exchange at the net, David's attempt at a lob landed wide - and the Spaniard was up a break again, leading 5-4 and now serving for the set. David had another break point in that game but couldn't get the return over the net. He saved the first set point with a drop-shot of his own. But Granollers converted the second with a serve out wide and long-line shot David couldn't get back in play. 6-4 Granollers.

Set 2
Again David served first and he immediately faced another break point. The silly drop-shot into the net he played at that moment made it look like he didn't really know what to do. Break, 1-0 Granollers. In the next game David had 2 further break points he once again failed to convert (and again by making errors). Granollers held and now led 2-0. At least, David managed to hold his serve and comfortably so, 2-1. Granollers' next game saw a lengthy deuce battle, including 2 more wasted break points. But David got a third chance and this time, Granollers comitted an unforced error, re-break 2-2. David then successfully consolidated his break and turned what had been a 0-2 into a 3-2. And he had 2 more break points in the following game. Granollers saved the first but on the second, the shot that had worked for him so well deserted him, his drop-shot found the net and David now led by a break, 4-2. In the next game David recovered from 0-30 down, winning 4 straight points to go up 5-2. - Then a brief shock moment. During the following change-over the trainer came on court, called for by David. But that was merely about some blisters on his hands, needing to be disinfected and taped up. Afterwards, Granollers held his serve (for what should turn out to be the last time in this match) to make it 5-3. And leaving it to David to serve out the set... It was one of the briefest games, if not the briefest one David played today. He served out the set to love, a return from Granollers landing wide eventually winning David the set. 6-3

Set 3
This time, Granollers began to serve. And David began this set by breaking him to love, 1-0. This impressive start David followed up with a pretty loose service game of his own, including some sloppy errors and a failed attempt to play serve and volley on break point against him. Re-break, 1-1. But David immediately broke back again and once more he did so to love, 2-1. From then on, it was pretty much plain sailing for David. After holding for 3-1, he broke Granollers again for 4-1. In the next game, David went down 15-40 but fended off both break points and then held to make it 5-1. Serving to stay in the match, Granollers had game point, which David saved with a clean return winner. And moments later at David's first match point, it was once again the return that proved decisive as Granollers failed to get it back over the net. 6-1

I think the best thing about this match was to see David fight back. At the end of the first and start of the second set, he seemed to have lost track of what to do on court, he was angry and frustrated with himself. But then he stopped getting down on himself and managed to focus again. It's been a while since I've seen that from him. And it was good to see it.
It was also good to see how he went from either just reacting (and often not quickly enough, especially with those drop-shots) or going for winners too early in the rally to taking control of the rallies, while at the same time playing much more patiently.
Still, he'll have to play the way he did in the third set and better to stand any chance against Davydenko. He'll have to serve better. And take his chances, i.e. break points...


Match Stats...
1st serve: 53% (set 1: 40%, set 2: 59%, set 3: 62%)
Aces: 1
DFs: 3
BP Conversion: 7/20
Points won on 1st serve: 63%
Points won on 2nd serve: 54%
Winners: 23
UEs: 39






(all pictures: AP Photo)