Paes through to round two

Shailesh Soni

Indian tennis ace Leander Paes moved into the second round of the Wimbledon 2001, defeating Daniel Elsner of Germany 6-0, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5.

The first set was a breeze for the Indian as he dominated it completely to win straight at 6-0.

In the second set, the German managed to hold serve for the first time in the match, in the second game. But the Indian broke him in the fourth and sixth games, allowing Elsner win a solitary point off his serve. Paes comfortably took the set at 6-1.

At this point, the Indian was in supreme touch and the match seemed heading for a quick finish, but the German had different plans. In the third set, Elsner was taken to deuce in the third game, but he managed to hold his serve and broke the Indian in the next game to lead 3-1.

Paes went on to hold his serve with ease in the sixth game but was enable to attack on Elsner's serve. In the eighth game, the Indian faced a set point at 30-40 but survived three deuces before holding serve. Paes had a break point at 30-40 in the next game but could not get the required break. Elsner served off the next game to take the set 6-3.

Problems continued for the Indian in the fourth set also, as he dropped serve in the very first game. It looked like Paes was in deep trouble as the German was holding his service games very easily. At 1-2, Paes faced a break point again, but he saved the game after one deuce.

One could see that Paes had no intention of letting the match totally slip away from him grasp. Games went with serves till 2-3, when Paes rattled off four points in a row off Elsner's serve from 0-40 and had a break point. He converted on the second break point to get back into the match. Again at 6-5 on Elsner's serve, Paes got his act together and went ahead 15-40 and converted the match point to register his first win at the Wimbledon.

The Indian got 35 big points for winning the match to make it a total of 50 points (15 for qualifying) from the Wimbledon till now.

Paes will face Nicolas Escude of France in the second round. Escude defeated Mardy Fish of the United States 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 to enter the second round.

Escude, ranked 31 on ATP is a clay court player and his best performance at the Wimbledon has been a second round, in 1998 and 2000.

Paes has never faced Escude before.

First by an Indian in 11 years

Paes's win was the first win by an Indian in Wimbledon singles in 11 years, since Ramesh Krishnan won one round (over Diego Perez of Uruguay) in 1990.

Paes had played four Wimbledons in the past -- he lost in 1996 (to Mark Petchey), 1997 (to Mark Woodforde), 1998 (to Wayne Black), and 1999 (to Andre Sa). He had only won one set at Wimbledon, a 6-1 first set against Petchey in 1996. Indeed, it is rather incredible for someone who was a Wimbledon junior champion to have lost 12 sets in a row there.

The only good thing to talk about in 11 years is Mahesh Bhupathi qualifying twice in a row in '98 and '99, and taking Carlos Moya to the brink of defeat in five sets in 1999.

Earlier reports:
Paes qualifies for Wimbledon
Paes in qualifying final
Paes, Nirupama in round 2
Paes faces Bulgarian in Wimbledon qualifier