Devvarman serves warning in SA
Commonwealth Games and Asian Games tennis champion Somdev Devvarman
of India broke serve three times to overcome local Raven Klaasen 6-4,
6-3 Monday in a South African Open first-round clash.
German Simon Greul and South African Rik de Voest were other winners
as the 442,500-dollar ATP event began with three predictable results at
the sprawling Montecasino entertainment centre in a plush northern
Johannesburg suburb. All eight seeds had the day off with number one
Feliciano Lopez from Spain visiting a rhinoceros and lion park near the
South African financial hub and number seven Rainer Schuettler of
Germany involved in a Soweto coaching clinic.
Devvarman, who struck Commonwealth gold in New Delhi last October and
Asian gold in Chinese city Guangzhou the following month, always had the
measure of qualifier Klaasen.
The first service break gave the 25-year-old Indian the opening set
before a modest crowd that watched the action in perfect conditions on a
centre court created in a car park.
Another break in the second set set up Devvarman for success and a
Klaasen ace when 30-15 behind in the ninth game did not prevent his
opponent breaking service again and clinching an 83-minute victory.
JOHANNESBURG,AFP
|