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He’s moved into the semi-finals, his movement is just fine and now it’s probably time to move on.
Chris Guccione scored his second big win in a row at the Sydney International today and put at least a temporary end to all the talk about how he gets around the court.
The giant left-hander impressed with a 4-6 7-7-6 (8-6) 6-4 win over world No.14 Tomas Berdych, coming hard on the heels of a straight sets win over countryman Lleyton Hewitt and will now play Radek Stepanek in the semi-finals.
Much of the pre-tournament talk on Guccione had centred round John Newcombe’s comments that the two-metre plus Victorian was an underachiever that struggled to get around the court.
But his movement today was just fine.
“I think my movement out there today was some of the best I have ever shown and for me that is a big part of the game,” said Guccione, who re-iterated he’d spent much of the off-season working on his court speed.
“Getting to the ball and getting in position – once I am in position to hit the ball I think I can match it with anyone out there.”
Guccione looked to be in trouble after losing the first set but came up with some big serves, decisive forehand passes and touch volleys at key moments to register the win.
He stuck with the fourth seed in the second set, warding off a match point before seizing the moment with a forehand down the line to capture the tiebreak.
Games were on serve in the decider until the pivotal seventh game where Guccione broke Berdych to love.
He then saved three break-back points in the next game – banging down four aces in the process – and eventually served out the match to love.
Tomorrow’s opponent Stepanek had withdrawn from his doubles match tonight with a stomach complaint but is expected to be fit for their semi-final.
Stepanek, who spent the off-season training on 4,700 mountain peaks in Mexico, enjoyed a 6-2 6-4 win over Argentine Agustin Calleri.
Guccione and Stepanek have yet to meet on the ATP Tour.
“He’s a tricky player and obviously playing very well at the moment,” Guccione said.
“He’s got very good hands and good volleys and is going to be tough to play.”
In the first of the evening’s quarter-finals Russian Dmitry Tursunov outclassed Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean 6-4 6-2.
It was a better story for the other Frenchman left in the draw.
Veteran Farbrice Santoro showed his silky skills haven’t dulled by downing Russian Evgeny Korolev 6-3 6-3.
Santoro now meets Tursunov in the other semi-final.
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