by Alex Degabriele and Kyle Gauci got the better of Mario Gonzalez Fernandez and Karol Malirz in the tie-break to win the match and progress in the M15 Monastir tournament. The duo also competed in the singles qualification and main draws.
Degabriele and Gauci Win the First Set
The Maltese-Australian duo opened the match on serve and and they kicked off the set in the best possible way, holding comfortably before breaking serve in the next game to open a 2-0 lead. Despite the third game also going to deuce, the duo won the deciding point, before securing a double-break in the next game, thus emerging with a 4-0 lead.
However, Gonzalez Fernandez and Malirz switched pace and delivered a decisive break in the next game. They earned three-break points before a double fault enabled them to break to love to get on the scoreboard. The duo then held serve to love, reducing the deficit to 4-2.
The two sides held serve in the next games without facing a break point so that Degabriele and Gauci earned the chance to serve out the set. An ace handed them the comfort of two set points, and though Gonzalez Fernandez and Malirz cancelled one, Degabriele and Gauci sealed the set with the next point, 6-3.
Gonzalez Fernandez and Malirz Even the Sets
Having fallen down a set, Gonzalez Fernandez and Malirz started the set on serve. Despite Degabriele and Gauci forcing a deuce, the Spaniard-Polish duo won the deciding point to get on the scoreboard and avoid falling a break in the opening game of a set they needed to win. They eyed a break point by forcing a deuce in the next game, but the Maltese-Australian duo held their own to even things at 1-1.
The two teams failed to threaten a break for the next three games. However, it was Gonzalez Fernandez and Malirz who ultimately landed the all-important break to nudge forward, 4-2. The duo sealed the break with a hold to love in the next game. At 5-2, Degabriele and Gauci held their nerve on serve to stay in the set, 5-3. They then piled pressure on Gonzalez Fernandez and Malirz as they attempted to serve out the set. The Maltese-Australian duo cancelled two set points to force a deciding point. Despite this, Gonzalez Fernandez and Malirz made no mistake to secure the point and therefore the set, sending the match into a deciding tie-break.
The Deciding Tie-Break
The pressure went up a notch as the two sides battled for a victory in the tie-break, which saw the lead exchange hands until the very last two points. It was Gonzalez Fernandez and Malirz who secured the first point, but Degabriele and Gauci won the next two, to claim a 2-1 lead.
Gonzalez Fernandez and Malirz evened the score with the next point, before a double fault enabled them to nudge into the lead 2-3. However, they returned the favour by double-faulting their own serve, before Degabriele and Gauci won the next point to return to the lead once more, 4-3.
The Spaniard-Polish duo then nudged forward with the comfort of a two-point cushion by winning the next three consecutive points, also aided by a double fault, 4-6. Despite this, Degabriele and Gauci evened things once more by winning the next two points. At 6-6, Gonzalez Fernandez and Malirz won the next point, before Degabriele and Gauci reclaimed the lead at 8-7. However, Gonzalez Fernandez and Malirz evened things once more with the next point, 8-8.
Having had enough of the topsy-turvy nature of the tie-break, Degabriele and Gauci claimed the next two points to win the tie-break 10-8, and thus win the match to progress from the round of sixteen.
Singles Commitments
Besides teaming up for doubles, both Degabriele and Gauci were participating in the singles tournaments throughout the week. Kyle Gauci went into the first round of the qualifying draw and got the better of German Richard Antoni in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5. However, he was denied a place in the main draw by the Italian Gianluca Cadenasso, who won their tie in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.
Meanwhile, Alex Degabriele received a wildcard into the main draw where he battled against Italian Denis Constantin Spiridon, where the latter emerged victorious in straight sets 6-3, 7-5.
Photos: Kyle Gauci / Alex Degabriele
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