Bengaluru Open | Harris’ baseline power trumps Schoolkate’s serve and volley

Bengaluru Open quarterfinals showcase diverse playing styles as Harris edges out Schoolkate in a thrilling match.

Diversity of playing styles is not commonplace in today’s men’s game. But on Friday afternoon here at the KSLTA courts, Tristan Schoolkate’s serve-and-volley met Billy Harris’ baseline-driven first-strike tennis.

After sparring for a little under two hours, and entertaining the sparse but enthusiastic crowd, it was World No. 110 Harris who sneaked through by the narrowest of margins, 6-2, 1-6, 7-5, to enter the singles semifinals of the Bengaluru Open. The 30-year-old will meet America’s Brandon Holt, who got past Russian Petr Bar Biryukov 6-4, 6-4.

It was cat and mouse all along, with Harris trying to dictate with his booming serve and Schoolkate repeatedly trying to follow his to the net. Harris broke twice to win the opening set 6-2 only for his 24-year-old rival to respond in kind and take the second 6-1.

In the beginning, Harris served so well that all Schoolkate could do was send blocked returns back, and they sat up well for his British opponent to execute easy put-aways.

In the second stanza, the tide turned as Harris’ level dropped and Schoolkate found the forecourt a hospitable place. He even went on a hot run, reeling off five games in a row, including two breaks to love.

It was only in the deciding set that Harris’ and Schoolkate’s tennis matched, and that resulted in an engrossing affair. Schoolkate, ranked 23 places behind Harris, went 3-1 up, showcasing some first-rate volleying. But the latter levelled matters at 3-3, displaying his brute backcourt prowess.

In the 10th and 11th games, Harris and Schoolkate put pressure on each other, but both players wriggled out of identical 0-30 situations. And just when it seemed like the set would slip into a tie-break, Harris came up with a remarkable down-the-line return winner to earn his first match-point. Another fierce return, this time cross-court, gave him the bragging rights.