Latvian tennis player Ernests Gulbis defeated Jirgen Zopa in the fifth match of the Estonian-Latvian tennis team tournament “Merks Cup” on Wednesday at the Tondi tennis center, the result of which was 3-2 in favor of Latvia. World Rank 162th Rocket Swan beat Zopa (ATP 540) with 6-3, 6-4.
Gulbis started the match with a serve, and until the sixth game, each of the tennis players was able to score a point by serving himself. In the sixth game, a Latvian tennis player won the break ball and played the next Zopa – 4-2.
The next game was won by Zops, but already in the eighth game Gulbis got two break balls in a row and used the first – 5-3. Also, by serving himself, the first of the two set balls was realized.
In the second set, the Estonian tennis player was the first to serve, and until the ninth game, both tennis players won their service points.
In the ninth game, Gulbis won the first break ball in the second set, but after a long play it was knocked out. The second break ball ended with Zopa’s shot in the field and 5-4 in Swan’s favor.
Although not without Zopa’s resistance, the tenth game in the second set became the last in the match, with the Estonian tennis player beating out.
“These were the first games of the half year,” immediately after the match Gulbis commented on the game to the competition organizers. “I’m trying to survive.”
When asked how he would prepare for Thursday’s fights, the Latvian tennis player answered briefly: “I will sleep.”
It has already been reported that in the first match of the day, the 1333rd rocket of the world single-player rank Ozoliņš convincingly defeated Ivanov, who ranks 738th in the world rankings, with 6-1, 6-3.
In the second game, Anastasia Sevastova, who is ranked 43rd in the world, lost 1-6, 2-6 to Estonia’s first racket Anete Kontaveita (WTA 22nd).
Gulbis and Kārlis Ozoliņš, who are not included in the doubles rankings, beat Estonians Vladimir Ivanov (ATP 522) and Jirgen Zopa (ATP 1419) in the third match with 7-6 (7: 1), 6-4.
After the ceremonial opening ceremony of the match, Latvia’s first racket Ostapenko (WTA 41st) lost Cannabis (WTA 99) in the fourth game with 3-6, 4-6.
The tournament will have a total of 11 games – eight singles and three doubles, one of which will be a mixed doubles. There are five games scheduled for Wednesday – four singles and one doubles, but a day later there will be six duels, the last of which will be a mixed doubles.
The Latvian national team includes Alona Ostapenko (WTA 41st), Anastasija Sevastova (WTA 43rd), Ernests Gulbis (ATP 162) and Kārlis Ozoliņš (ATP 1133., ITF Jun. 6). This year, this quartet was at the core of the Latvian national team in the Federation Cup and Davis Cup matches.
Estonia is represented by the strongest missiles of the northern neighbors Anete Kontaveita (WTA 22), Kaija Kanepi (WTA 99), Jürgen Zops (ATP 540) and Vladimir Ivanov (ATP 738).
The professional tennis season will resume in August, but until then, tennis players will participate in various demonstration tournaments.
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