Dudi Sela bows out of Australian Open
ISRAELI tennis player Dudi Sela has crashed out of the Australian Open in the first round, losing to Ukrainian qualifier Ivan Sergeyev.
ADAM KAMIEN AT MELBOURNE PARK
ISRAELI tennis player Dudi Sela has crashed out of the Australian Open singles draw in the first round, losing to Ukrainian qualifier Ivan Sergeyev 6-3, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6.
Israel’s top-ranked male player — ranked 41 in the world — came into the match with a virus and never found his rhythm, despite displaying patches of brilliance.
The match lasted three hours and 22 minutes.
The Israeli was broken in the first game of the match and there were two more breaks of serve in the set, one to each player. Sergeyev served out the set with a love game.
The second set went on serve to a tie breaker, which Sergeyev dominated with some big serving, winning 7-3.
Sela regained his composure and took the third set 6-4.
There were consecutive service breaks in the second and third games of the fourth set as the intensity went up a notch.
The set then went on serve until the tie break, and it was a brilliant passing shot on the forehand that eventually gave Sergeyev his hard-fought win.