Sitak-Fugate Semifinal Play-by-Play

Artem Sitak.

Fugate Leads Early

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Marcus Fugate takes a 3-0 lead against Artem Sitak in the first set of this semifinal match in the St. Vincent Auxiliary Men's Professional Tennis Tournament.

Artem Sitak was able to close the gap and pull to a 4-4 tie on the outdoor hard courts of the Pleasant Valley Country Club.

Fugate, who had to qualify to get in the main draw, pulled ahead 5-4 on strength of a decent serve and excellent net play.

Fugate showed a bit of lethargy and a lack of urgency and was unable to put the set away. Sitak, the number seed, pushed the set to a tie-break and he basically steam-rolled Fugate in the tie-break. Sitak wins the set 7-6 (1).

Sitak's Vulnerabilities

Sitak was shown to have serious problems in delivering his serve. Throughout the match he would give away points and control of the match due to service faults and double faults.

On his backhand side, Sitak appears unable to generate any power and makes mistakes.

Marcus Fugate.

Fugate's Woes

Fugate's serve has some heat but he doesn't drill his serve often and consistently. He brings the heat occasionally, enough just to remind his opponent he has a good serve.

Fugate can be very casual on the court. He comes to the net often but he appears unable or unwilling to react if the shot is hit away from him. There were a number of shots throughout the match that he followed the ball with his eyes and did not move his feet to attempt to run the ball down.

Still Fugate was able to go ahead 3-1 in the second set.

Sitak quickly tied up the set at 3-3. Despite Sitak's continuing and obvious problems, Fugate is complacent and unable to capitalize. Sitak goes ahead 4-3.

Sitak and Fugate continue to tie each other up at 4-4, 5-5 and eventually had to settle in a tie-break.

Fugate comes to the net often where he is very good. But he does not use his net-play as an offensive weapon against Sitak. Fugate's problems appears to be not a lack of skill but lack of effort and motivation. He fails to hit threw his shots at the net and Sitak is able to return the ball and, as Fugate has shown from earlier in the match, if the ball is hit away from him he does not run after it.

As such, Sitak wins the second set 7-6 (4).

Sitak prevails 7-6 (1), 7-6 (4).