Lopez and Verdasco down H&H in Cincy
Big-serving lefties recover from a set down to reach second round
Ross Hutchins and Stephen Huss are out of the Western and Southern Financial Group Masters 1000 after once again falling victim to a match tie-break defeat, this time to Spanish Davis Cup duo Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez.
The Anglo-Aussie pair claimed the only break of the match to seal the first set, but failed to find a way through in the second before the Spaniards ran away with both the second set tie-break and match tie-break to win 4-6 7-6(2) 10-3 in Cincinnati.
Hutchins and Huss may not have been able to match the big-serving left-handers ace count – Verdasco and Lopez pounded down 13 aces and saw one fly past in reply – but converted their only break point opportunity in the first set to edge ahead, saving two break points themselves to close out the set.
Despite upping the ace count in the second set, Verdasco and Lopez – who had only dropped five points on serve in the first and still conspired to lose it – offered Hutchins and Huss two break point chances. H&H failed to convert and were soon made to pay.
After losing the tie-break to level the match, Hutchins and Huss found their serves deserting them when they needed them most. A double fault and just one first serve in handed the initiative to the Spaniards, who were in no mood to pass up the gift.
Four unanswered mini-breaks were all it took to complete the comeback and book a spot in round two, where they will play No.4 seeds Mahesh Bhupati and Mark Knowles.
