Matosevic continues winning ways in Brisbane
Australian Marinko Matosevic has won through to a likely Brisbane International quarterfinal with Roger Federer after hitting back to down American Sam Querry in the second round on Wednesday.
Brisbane QLD, Australia, 1 January 2014 | AAP
Australian Marinko Matosevic has won through to a likely Brisbane International quarterfinal with Roger Federer after hitting back to down American Sam Querry in the second round on Wednesday.
World No.61 Matosevic once could not take a trick in matches in Australia but has now dug deep to win back-to-back in Brisbane after sealing a 5-7 7-6(3) 6-4 victory over Querry.
Matosevic, 28, arrived in Brisbane with a 0-9 record in main-draw matches Down Under – a horror run that covered the Australian Open, Brisbane International and Sydney International spanning back to 2010.
But he now appears to have a newfound Midas touch.
And he will need it in what looms as a daunting quarterfinal showdown.
He will play the winner of 17-time Grand Slam winner Federer’s second-round clash with Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen on Wednesday night.
Matosevic appears to finally be putting his game together after overcoming a shoulder injury that cut short his 2013 season in October.
He proved too good for world No.46 Querry despite a slow start.
After dropping the opening set, Matosevic constantly had his service game threatened in the second set but still forced a tiebreak, which he won 7-3.
Fired up by the crowd, Matosevic jumped to a 3-0 lead in the third, only for Querry to break back in the seventh game.
But the Australian was not to be denied.