Stockport’s Liam Broady was in relentless form when despatching the challenge of Argentinian 20 year old Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-1 6-2 to move into the second round of the Phoenix Challenger, in Arizona, USA.
Cerundolo was ranked five places above Broady ahead of the game, but the Argentinian left hander’s best results have come on clay and the bookies were in no doubt who the real favourite was making Broady odds on to win through.
The opening game didn’t quite go according to the script despite Broady being largely in control of the rallies but a few overhit shots saw him surprisingly drop the opening game on serve.
It was only a temporary blip and a deft drop shot saw the Stockport-born 28 year old draw level straight away and he never looked back in the first set, bringing up a second break with an aggressive backhand crosscourt winner.
Broady staved off two break points in the next game but was serving with authority and attacking the Cerundolo serve with gusto to prevent his besieged opponent from gaining any foothold in the match at all.
Broady was tormenting Cerundolo’s weaker backhand side and the frustrated Argentinian shanked another backhand wide to concede his third break out of three in the opening set to give Broady a 5-1 lead.
Broady sealed the first set when further pressure on the Cerundolo backhand saw him net again for a 6-1 verdict.
Cerundolo finally held serve in the opening game of the second set and when he brought up deuce on Broady’s opening service game of the second set he was hinting at making a better fist of the second set.
However Broady ultimately held and a delightful backhand followed by deft volley allowed Broady to break again and set up a second set advantage he was never to concede.
Cerundolo managed to save two more break points in the fifth game, but it was a temporary reprieve and an overhit backhand saw Broady consolidate his lead with another break to go 4-1 up.
A delightful whipped cross court forehand winner saw Broady bring up his first match point at 5-1 30-40 but the Argentinian saved it with a strong serve and forehand winner. A long game saw Broady refuse to let Cerundolo off the hook saving four game points before the relieved Argentinian, who was ranked as high as 79 just a few weeks ago finally chalked up just his third game of the match.
if he hoped it might presage a comeback he was quickly disabused of that notion, as Broady brought up three match points quickly and despite hitting a volley long on the first one, it was a merciful release for Cerundolo when he hit a forehand long to seal a mightily impressive 6-1 6-2 win for the Heaton Chapel left hander.
A tougher task is likely to lie ahead in this ‘Super Challenger’ with top 60 ranked Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech awaiting Broady in Thursday’s second round.