Stako reports

My Asia Trip

Hello everyone!

I just finished my first Asia trip in my career. I must say that I've done a few mistakes but I hope I will learn from them.

Malaysia open: It's a great tournament, a beautiful hotel next to the famous Patronas Towers. All was there exept good results. I came back from a set down and 0-3 down against M. Russell and later saved 2 MP, but unfortunately I didn't use the opportunity I had in that tournament and lost in the 2nd round to qualifier M. Raonic, having squandered a match point. We had a better set in doubles with Misha Youzhny.

Due to doubles I was not able to compete in Beijing as I did not get into main draw (ended 1 out with ranking of 46 at the entry time). In semis of doubles we lost to Poles Fyrstenberg/Matkowski 06 16. It was Saturday, Misha had won a hard semi-final match in singles and I was upset with Beijing. Then off I went on my first ever visit to China. To tell the truth, we visited only the Great Wall. I spent all my time at the courts practising and getting ready for Shanghai. We were in main draw in doubles with Misha so at least I was doing something that week. We were to play the 1st round match against Dolgopolov/Bellucci on Tuesday, but Bellucci withdrew due to injury and there were no alternates, so we had a free pass to the 2nd round against Nestor/Zijmonic. It was a bit better than our last week semifinal 26 26. I want to stop and say a few words about the event, well I was the 1st time in my life on tournament as a doubles player only and it is indeed an interesting experience. The tournament was well organized exept the fact that the hotel was far from the city.

Everybody says that Shanghai is nothing like China at all, and they were right.When you just get into the city you feel like you are in Vegas. The venue of the Shanghai Rolex Masters is fantastic with all the facilities for players. But I was there to try to make a result so I was preparing hard, the draw was done and I was facing a qualifier so I had to wait until the Q is finished. On tuesday I was scheduled to play at 6 pm on Grand Stand against M.Zverev but due to bad weather we were moved to court 3 because it was raining all day and they wanted my match to finish. I think that I will say enough if I say that I played a really bad match but I was fighting for it again I had a slow start 2-6 0-2 managed to get back in the match and had a match point in the 3 set tiebreaker. I would say that due to a chair umpire mistake I lost that match. 2 singles matches in a row lost from a match point. It's hard, damn hard and I didn't sleep all night thinking about that match. Doubles was a different story. Misha lost a close match to F.Mayer (also with the help of umpire) so we were on the court trying, but both dissapointed from our singles result. Aspelin/Henley 36 64 9-11. And 15 hours later I am here in the plane from Shanghai to Bangkok and to Vienna...

I still have a good chance to finish this year in top 30 but I would have it much easier if I would pull out those matches as a winner. Next on the menu are my 2 favourite tournaments Moscow and St.Peterburg so I am looking forward to them. Then I will play Valencia and Masters in Bercy.

Best, Sergiy

thax for youer update! good luck in australia man