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Old 02-23-2016, 08:55 PM   #267
Brian Swartz
Grizzled Veteran
 
Join Date: May 2006
Paris Masters: Conclusion

The biggest matchup of the quarterfinals was Girish Girsh going up against Benda, looking to snap a four-game losing streak against the German and a reprise of his first win, which came in a tight 3-setter in the same round of the same event last year. This one went all his way, an easy 6-2, 6-4 victory in which he not only clearly controlled the match, but saved all seven break points he faced. Anil Mehul had a strange one, jumping out quick against Mockler and bageling him in a 30-minute first set, only to have to endure a tiebreak in the second to advance. And Antonin Iglar almost bowed out early, barely surviving a very surprising challenge from Gaskell, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(7).

It looked like that might have been the one vulnerable match for the week from the no. 1; he was much sharper in the next round, dispatching Girsh for the 14th straight time, 6-1, 7-5. Meanwhile, Mehul had break point problems against Cestmir Marcek. Despite a convincing performance overall, he endured 23 aces from the 4th-ranked Czech and snuck through by the narrowest of margins, 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 7-6(3). Way too close for comfort, with only 2 of 11 break chances converted. He won, but that could easily have been disastrous.

And yep, it was another Iglar vs. Mehul final. 29th meeting. Despite fatigue, it was probably Mehul's most convincing win, his 9th in their series, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1! Quite one-sided overall, he had only break chance against him which Iglar took to get the second set, but otherwhise controlled quite easily by Mehul. It's his 7th Masters Shield overall and 5th this year, leading to ...





I don't normally do screenshots in this thread, but there it is! Anil Mehul can now happily retire if he didn't win another match. #1 in the world, over a player that is far from done but would be considered at worst 5th-best all-time in the history of the sport. I didn't think he had much chance of ever getting this far(and I'd be quite annoyed if I were managing Iglar, still a much better player just having a subpar year). It'll go away in a week, but if he takes another perfect run through the Tour Finals I think he'll keep it into the new year no matter what happens in the WTC.

It's a heck of a thing. The World Tour Finals start in two weeks. Mehul's goal is to repeat as champion; Girsh would be happy with getting out of the round-robin stage and making the semifinals -- anything beyond that would be gravy in his debut.
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