Tennis: Zero to hero dodges 'double bagel'

By TERRY MADDAFORD

It was shaping as the most embarrassing moment of Michael Sell's five years on the professional tennis circuit.

Playing world No 37 and Heineken Open fourth seed Nicolas Escude in the first match of the day, the 27-year-old American, ranked 166 and who had to win three matches in the qualifying tournament to make the main draw, was whipped 6-0 in a 21-minute first set.

The crowd, filing in for yesterday's much-anticipated second game on centre court between Sjeng Schalken and Goran Ivanisevic, had barely taken their seats.

"I was looking a 'double bagel' [a horror 6-0, 6-0 hiding]. I had to try and make it up to the crowd and not be completely embarrassed," said Sell. "I knew if I could get one game they would get behind me."

That came in the second game of the second set but not without a struggle as Sell was taken to deuce on serve. The reprieve was only temporary. He was broken in the fourth and six games. At 1-5 his early departure seemingly inevitable with the Frenchman to serve for the match.

He ripped in a couple of aces for match point at 40-30. Sell was, surely, gone. He won a point, then another. Escude replied with another ace for deuce. The battle continued. Eventually, Sell won. Tossed that lifeline, he struggled through his next service game for 3-5, broke Escude after another deuce and levelled at 5-5 in a quick-fire10th game.

The set went to the tiebreak. Escude raced to 5-2. At 6-4 he held two match points. The end was surely nigh.

But, no. Sell dug even deeper. He won two points for 6-6, dropped one then charged to take three in a row and a dramatic 9-7 tiebreak victory after 64 of the most tense minutes of tennis he is ever likely to play. He had saved an incredible six match points.

The crowd was now firmly behind their new-found hero with the baggy shorts and flapping shirt. He chased and chased and chased some more. Games went with serve until the fourth game of the deciding set before Sell struck.

Escude, who last week became the latest member of the $US1 million club, was plagued by foot-fault calls. Any composure he might have had left disappeared. He was broken in the sixth game - again with a double fault - and Sell calmly served it out for the biggest victory of his career.

Now he faces another centre court match today - one he would probably prefer not to play - against long-time friend and often training partner Michael Chang.