Results - Saturday August 15, 2009

Anderson overcomes shaky serve to defeat Levy

by Jeffrey Dunham
Aug 15, 8:25 pm EDT

Kevin Anderson

South African No. 7 seed Kevin Anderson overcame the aggressive game of Harel Levy today to win in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. However, the match was not without drama, as Anderson had some service problems as he tried to close the door on the feisty Israeli.

Levy opened the match with an ace and a service winner. Keeping with his week-long strategy, he applied pressure in Anderson’s first serve game, going for broke and charging the net on returns. However, a Levy forehand sprayed well wide allowed Anderson to hold.

Anderson broke early for 3-1, but Levy had an opening when he got Anderson to 0-30 on a double fault with Anderson serving at 4-3. However, Anderson seemed to be able to come up with a few good serves when he needed them, closing out the game and eventually the first set.

Levy playing aggresive

Levy tried to mix up the pace and length of the ball early in the second set in an effort to disrupt Anderson’s rhythm, but Anderson held steady and eventually broke Levy at 2-2. Anderson was returning serve well himself, as he hit a reflexive half-volley backhand return into the ad court that caught Levy completely flat footed.

Anderson stood on the brink of victory serving for the match at 4-3, when he hit three double faults in a row. Actually, he served seven straight service faults, as he missed the first serve on the last point of that game. Anderson then missed a volley on a dubious approach shot that allowed Levy to break for 4-4 and get back on serve. There appeared to be new life for Levy, but it proved to fleeting, as Anderson broke again on some continued aggressive returning to go up 5-4.

Anderson in Action

Serving for the match for a second time, Anderson hit a 129 mph bomb to get back on track with his serve. He followed up with a 113 mph ace out wide and another big first serve to close out the match. What a difference a first serve makes! The match was not quite as routine as the score might have indicated, but Anderson had to be happy with the win.

After the match, Anderson commented on Levy’s aggressive play this week: "I knew what to expect. He takes the ball early, and I just tried to take his game away from him."

Anderson also addressed his problems serving for the match. "I still went after it, even after hitting the first double fault. Then I got to thinking about things after I hit two of them. It’s all about the rhythm you’re feeling. Ultimately, it’s not a big deal. I got it back in the final game."

A certain sense of relief did seem apparent in Anderson, however, as he admitted that "it’s never happened to me before and I hope it doesn’t happen again!"