#elio jose ribeiro lago

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Danderyd Ch D R1: Johannes Ingildsen/Eero Vasa def. Elio Jose Ribeiro Lago/Roy Stepanov 6-4, 7-5 Match Stats

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While the match looked competitive at a glance, the return game under pressure became the biggest determinant, especially every last game of the set. That way, J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa pressed Ribeiro Lago/R. Stepanov's balance, which not only the net game caused an important break for the first set, but the shot winners from the baseline also caused the foiling of the latter's game point before a failed volley converted their match point. Consequently, J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa converted 60% of their break points (out of 5 chances) compared to Ribeiro Lago/R. Stepanov's 50% break point conversion rate out of 2 opportunities to break, which partly came from the second set.

Service game-wise, there was a tiny difference between both pairs except for the second serves. In this case, although both pairs scored an ace each, J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa won 4% more points from their first serves with a 79% winning percentage compared to Ribeiro Lago/R. Stepanov's 74%. On the other hand, second serves remained a problem for Ribeiro Lago/R. Stepanov, who only won 45% of their points, 25% lower than J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa due to their 4 double faults exposing its vulnerability even more as the match went by.

In the quarterfinals, J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa will face Mohamed Safwat/Stefanos Sakellaridis, who advanced after fourth seeds Vasil Kirkov/Szymon Walkow withdrew. This could be both chaotic and competitive, boiling down to their return points under pressure, and could also be entertaining should point construction work. Might also be fun to see how the other Stef do in Challenger-level doubles, which would be the other occasion!

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The second set also appeared as competitve as the first set, coming down to a few points toward the end of the set. Right in the seventh game, for example, after J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa’s cross-court forehand went too far, R. Stepanov’s backhand winner secured them their break point, which was converted at the cost of the former pair’s double fault, only for them to be broken back again to 4-4 at the cost of their erroneous service game.

Three consecutive games later, Ribeiro Lago/R. Stepanov had 2 break points, which was technically possible for them to set a tie-breaker. However, J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa had ideas on return, especially starting from the baseline that quickly questioned Ribeiro Lago/R. Stepanov’s balance. Not only J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa’s forehand winner foiled one of those game points, but their backhand winner secured the deciding point, which also served as their match point. This was converted at the cost of Ribeiro Lago’s failed volley, to his dismay, which resulted in J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa taking the second set 7-5, as well as securing their spot in the quarterfinals.

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The doubles action in Danderyd followed up with the match between Johannes Ingildsen/Eero Vasa and Elio Jose Ribeiro Lago/Roy Stepanov for a spot in the quarterfinals. While this match appeared to be competitive, it all came down to the last points of the game that turned out to be the last game of the set, which determined the outcome of the first set.

After J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa held their service game to 1-0, R. Stepanov scored a forehand down-the-line winner in response to J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa’s volley to secure a one-point lead before they held their service games to 1-1. Somehow, Ribeiro Lago’s forehands became a 50-50 at several points, which opened the gate but an error also did not help as well. Fast-forward to the last two points of the first set, while a cross-court forehand error resulted in J. Ingildsen/E. Vasa’s set point, it was immediately converted thanks to the latter’s working volley, to R. Stepanov’s dismay, where they took the first set 6-4 as a result, asserting their ability to be intuitive under pressure.