Two veteran players squared off in the opening round of the 2015 U.S. Open with Fernando Verdasco defeating Tommy Haas 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-1. It was their second career encounter at the U.S. Open with Verdasco also having come away with a five set win back in 2009.
Opening Set Goes to Haas
Verdasco started out on serve and looked shaky from the get-go. Although he would not be broken in his first three service games, Haas had a look at three break points. Verdasco's serve appeared to lack some zip and he was only getting his first serve in 48 percent of the time in the opening set. Haas had no such worry on his serve as he lost just three points on his first three service games with the score going to 3-3.
In the next service game for Verdasco, he was again sluggish as Haas saw another break chance and converted this time for a 4-3 lead. He would hold serve and then break the Spaniard a second time to take the set 6-3. Haas was efficient and effective on serve for the set, winning 16 of 20 points. He took 14 of the 31 points played off Verdasco's serve. The Spaniard struggled with unforced errors, making 13 in the set compared to seven by the German.
The Tide Turns Quickly In Set Two
Rather than pout after a poor set, Verdasco broke out of the gates in the second set quickly by breaking Haas at-love to open. The Spaniard would consolidate for a 2-0 lead. Haas would rebound to hold to 2-1. From there though, the German struggled with his serve as Verdasco would jump all over his serve to break him twice more for a quick 6-1 set win. Haas would only win 41 percent of his service points for the set. He also made ten unforced errors and hit just three winners. Verdasco cut his unforced errors down from 13 in the first set to eight in the second. He was still struggling to get his first serve at 41 percent, but he was not pushed to be as precise with the big lead.
Tense Third Set
The third set started with an exchange of service holds, but Tommy Haas would then break Verdasco to take a 2-1 lead. Into the sixth game of the set, Haas held a 3-2 lead before the Spaniard converted on the second break point of the game to pull even at 3-3. From that point onward, both men were stout on serve with Verdasco losing a single point in the next three service games, while Haas held his next three service games at-love. That set the stage for a tie break to decide the set.
Haas would craft two mini-breaks early at 1-0 and then to the first changeover at 4-2. The German would not relinquish the second lead as he closes out the tie break 7-3. For the set, both men were very good on first serve with the Spaniard winning 83 percent of the points off his first and Haas taking 80 percent off his. Both men clubbed their fair share of winners with Verdasco ahead in that category 16 to 13, while he also made three more unforced errors by an eleven to eight count.
Haas Tires In The Fourth
Verdasco would have to hold off a break point in his first service game to avoid falling behind early. Once that hold was completed, the two players traded holds to 3-3. In the seventh game, Haas appeared to lose some pop from his serve as he struggled mightily to hold. Verdasco would craft a look at four break chances with Haas able to hang on for the first three. Perhaps fatigued from the effort, Haas double faulted on the fourth chance to hand Verdasco the game and a 4-3 lead.
Haas seemed noticeably slower with his movement after that game and short on his ground strokes as Verdasco would break a second time to close the set 6-3. The fatigue for Haas showed in his service numbers with the German winning just 50 percent of his first serve points for the set. Verdasco was close to flawless on his own serve, winning 14 of 17 first serve points and he only needed five second serves all set, taking three points. Haas had a slew of unforced errors, tallying one dozen for the set while Verdasco was the more crisp of the two with 16 winners to just three for Haas.
Verdasco Stands Tall Late And Advances
Verdasco looked invigorated and the fresher of the two to open the deciding set. He rolled through a quick love service game to hold. Haas for his part looked better as he held comfortably as well. By the fourth game with Verdasco ahead 2-1, Haas showed more of the fatigue that looked to take over in the fourth set. His serve continued to lack power as Verdasco broke to take a 3-1 lead.
The Spaniard would not relinquish that lead for the remainder of the set as he won 16 of 17 points on his serve and took eleven of the 25 that came off the racquet of a tiring Tommy Haas. In all, Verdasco won nine of the last ten games in the match to go from even at 3-3 in the fourth set to taking both the fourth and fifth sets to win the match. For the Spaniard, it was his third win in a fifth set in 2015 out of four matches that have gone the distance.
Next Up For Verdasco
With today's win, Verdasco advances to the second round where he will play tenth seeded Milos Raonic. They have split six career meetings with the last one going to Raonic in a three set win at the 2013 Shanghai Masters 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-3.