Vasek Pospisil of Canada was victorious against Jared Donaldson of USA with a 7-6 6-7 6-3 win in their first round meeting at the BNP Paribas Open on Friday. The windy conditions caused both players problems reflected by a combined 109 unforced errors in the match. Pospisil will now face Gilles Simon of France in the second round.

Pospisil takes the first set in the tiebreak

The second match on Stadium 1 featured Pospisil, ranked 43 in the world, and wildcard Donaldson ranked 158th and part of the ATP's Next Generation campaign. The first set started with both players holding their serve till the sixth game. The American got the first break point at 30-30 in the seventh game. He would convert it to go up 4-3.

However, Pospisil fought back in the next game. He had his first break point at 40-30, but Donaldson saved it to force deuce. In the next point, the American netted a forehand after a 20-shot rally to give the Pospisil yet another break point. This time, the Canadian would convert the opportunity with a great second serve return to level the game 4-4.

Both players held their serve in the games following thus the first set needed a tiebreak. Pospisil got an early mini-break after a Donaldson forehand error. At 4-2, Pospisil hit a winner that caught the line to go up a double break. Donaldson got both breaks back after Pospisil hit back-to-back errors on his serve. However, the Canadian got a break back in the next point after a forced error from Donaldson. Pospisil would hang onto the break to win the first set 7-6(5).

Donaldson outlasts Pospisil in the second set tiebreak

The second set started with Pospisil up an early break after back to back errors from Donaldson in the third game of the set. But, the American got the break back in the ensuing game after Pospisil hit his own back to back errors.

Both players would hold their service games in the games following until the 12th game of the set. It needed another tiebreak to decide the winner of the set. Donaldson got a minibreak early in the tiebreak after a forehand error from Pospisil to go up 2-0. At 4-2, the American would go up a double mini-break after his shot clipped the net that dropped into Pospisil’s court. Donaldson would go on and win the set 7-6(2) to force a third set.

Pospisil hangs on to a break to win the third set

Matt Hazlett/BNP Paribas Open

In the third set, Pospisil stroke first as he got an early break in the fourth game of the set to go up 3-1. But, the Canadian couldn’t consolidate the break. Donaldson got three break points in the following game that was capped with a Pospisil forehand that went long to get the break back.

It seemed to like both players couldn’t hold their service games. In the next game, Pospisil got another pair of breakpoint after Donaldson put a forehand into the net. The American would get broken for the second time in the set after another forehand error.

Pospisil up 4-2, looked like he was going to waste his lead as Donaldson got a break point at 30-30 after he hit another error. But, the Canadian was determined not to give the break back hit a deep forehand winner that Donaldson couldn’t handle to bring the game to deuce. Pospisil managed to hold onto his lead and consolidate the break to go up 5-2.

Serving for the match, Pospisil was down 15-30 when he hit back-to-back running forehand winners to get his first match point. Donaldson would force a deuce with a winner that caught the line. The American would get a break point after that with a backhand winner. In the third deuce game, Donaldson would hit a return long to give Pospisil his third match point. The Canadian would convert the point and win the match.

Both players didn’t serve well as both have under 60 percent of their first serves in. Pospisil finished with 31 winners including nine aces and committed 55 unforced errors including eight double faults. Meanwhile, Donaldson had 29 winners with five aces and 54 unforced errors with five double faults. Pospisil will have a chance for redemption against Simon in the second round as both players recently met during the Davis Cup between France and Canada.

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