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Defending champion Stakhovsky loses in St. Pete
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia - Defending champion Sergiy Stakhovsky was eliminated from the St. Petersburg Open on Wednesday, losing to Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in the first round.
The tournament later also lost fifth-seeded Viktor Troicki of Serbia, who went down 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to German veteran Rainer Schuettler.
Stakhovsky saved a match point and broke Becker in the 12th game of the second set to stay in the match. But Becker never gave the second-seeded Ukrainian a chance in the third set, losing only six points on his serve.
“It’s always difficult to come and defend your title,” said Stakhovsky. “I could have won the match, but the chances I had, I didn’t use them properly and the match was over. I cannot say that I played badly but he left me no chances after a break in the third set.”
After trading sets with 33rd-ranked Troicki, who won his maiden title at the Kremlin Cup on Sunday, Schuettler turned the match his way in the third set. The former top-five player, currently ranked 103rd, saved five break points in the sixth game which lasted 8 minutes and 53 seconds. The 34-year-old German then won three more games to wrap up the win after 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Troicki said he felt tired after playing in singles and doubles finals in Moscow.
“I had some chances in the match but I didn’t play good,” said Troicki. “My game was defensive. I tried to be focused on my game but it didn’t work at some moments, while Schuettler played good, especially in the end of the match.”
Also on Wednesday, fourth-seeded Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan beat Potito Starace of Italy 6-2, 6-2, while Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov, who ousted Stakhovsky in the second round of the Kremlin Cup last week, defeated Fabio Fognini of Italy 7-6 (5), 6-4.
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