Marti Pujolras A. edged Zeitune M. 7-6, 7-6 in Biella, winning both sets without ever pulling clear on the scoreboard. He held 11 of his 12 service games, saved five of the six break points he faced and converted one of his own, while Zeitune saved none of the single break point he defended.
The first set was a run of alternating breaks from 0-1 onwards, with Marti Pujolras breaking back at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5 and finally at 6-6 before taking the tie-break. The second set followed the same pattern of exchanges — breaks for Zeitune at 1-1, 1-3, 2-4 and 3-5, answered each time by Marti Pujolras, who broke at 6-5 only to be pegged back at 6-6 and had to win a second tie-break.
The numbers show how narrow it was: Zeitune actually won more points overall, 90 to 82, and took 37 receiver points to his opponent's 16, landing 89% of his first-serve points to 74%. Marti Pujolras won the match on the margins — 5 aces to 4, 66 service points won to 53, and 5/6 break points saved against 0/1.