Chennai Open 2013: Tipsarevic Gunning for Glory

It wasn’t the most perfect of finishes, but for Janko Tipsarevic, the only seeded player remaining in the Chennai Open, the win was probably more important than how it came about. Playing against the Slovenian youngster Aljaz Bedene, who was playing his first-ever ATP tour semi-final, the world number nine had to dig deep into his arsenal before he could finish off the match after a two-hour long three-set battle.

Although Tipsarevic had maintained right from the start that Bedene was going to prove a tricky opponent to master, especially considering that his playing style was still unknown, the Serb couldn’t have fathomed the extent of the difficulties he would have to endure. The first set saw the Slovenian flesh out the points from the Serbian, drawing him out each time and forcing him to commit errors on points that he would have comfortably won otherwise. Covering both flanks well, Bedene seemed to pre-empt Tipsarevic’s each manoeuvre and thus forced the Serb to try and attempt something different, which in turn added to his woes. And though Tipsarevic did have his chances to break the Slovenian’s game, once in the fourth game and then in the eighth game, the 23-year-old saved them all before breaking the Serb in the ninth game to serve the set out.

ATP’s rule to mandate the points between breaks to 25 seconds yet again caused a furore as both Bedene and Tipsarevic were warned once by the chair umpire for the rule violation. But it hurt Bedene more, as he lost focus entering into the second set with the momentum swinging his way. Tipsarevic broke early in the second set and consolidated the break with a huge 3-0 lead, before the Slovenian managed to swing two games his way. But that was all he could manage as the Serb wrapped up the set 6-2 with a double break, to even things out at one set apiece.

The initial stages of the third set proved to be a recap of the second, with Tipsarevic once again breaking early to take a powerful lead over Bedene. It would have probably been a double break of serve for the Serbian in the fourth game of the third set had the Slovenian not held his serve and nerve to come back from behind, to keep the momentum going. But where Tipsarevic managed to widen his lead quite comfortably, the seventh service game could have possibly tilted the match on its axis yet again. With break point chances coming Bedene’s way, Tipsarevic had to really fight it out to prevent Bedene from getting a chance to possibly even things at 4-4, with a potential re-break. However, it was not to be as Tipsarevic held his ground and inched closer to his second-straight Chennai Open final, in his fourth straight appearance. A handful of unforced errors, coupled with a double-fault at its most ill-opportune time, allowed the Serbian to satisfactorily close the proceedings with the Chennai crowd roaring his name in the background.

In the post match press conference, the Serb made pointed references about how changing his position from far behind the baseline in the first set to staying close to it in the next two sets changed his game. The Serb also made specific notations about his Slovenian opponent, crediting him for his play throughout the match. Referring to him as a dangerous competitor, the Serb went on to add that Bedene’s chances for this season were pretty good with a possible entry into the top-50 as the season progresses.

Talking about how the 25-second rule hampered his chances during the start of the second set, the soft-spoken Bedene on his part clarified that while the rule wasn’t something he liked, he has no choice but to accept it and adjust his game accordingly. Speaking optimistically about his performances at other ATP tournaments in the days to follow, the Slovenian specified that while in these initial stages the lack of awareness about his game could prove to be an advantage to him, there would soon come a time when he wouldn’t be able to use this factor as a deciding factor.