Indian star Sania Mirza was pushed all the way in her first-round clash at the dfs Classic in Edgbaston.
The 14th seed and world number 41, who captured the Newcomer of the Year award for 2005 following a stunning season on the circuit, was pushed to the limit by Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine.
After comfortably taking the opening set 6-2, breaking Bondarenko in the first and seventh games, Mirza then lost the rhythm and range she had found in the first.
After missing a break point in the opening match of the second set, the 19-year-old from Hyderabad was broken in the fourth game to give Bondarenko a 3-1 lead.
Although immediately breaking back, Mirza was then broken to love in the subsequent game, allowing Bondarenko to go on and take the set 6-3.
The first three games then went against serve at the start of the final set before Bondarenko seemed to take control by finally holding and taking a 3-1 lead.
But Mirza then rattled off the next five games, closing out to love in the final game for 6-3 after one hour and 44 minutes on centre court.
In other early matches on the second day of the tournament, American Bethanie Mattek was also forced into a three-set battle, eventually beating Julia Schruff of Germany 6-4 6-7 6-1.
China's Shuai Peng was forced to come from a set down against Nicole Pratt of Australia before prevailing 2-6 7-5 6-4.
Another Chinese girl, Meng Yuan, was unable to follow her compatriot into the last 32, losing 6-3 6-4 to Jarmila Gajdosova of Slovakia.
(reopens) Two-time defending champion Maria Sharapova suffered a frustrating day in her bid for a third crown.
Sharapova was due to play the opening second-round match with American qualifier Ahsha Rolle, only for rain to postpone the encounter until tomorrow.
Even though there had been no play possible since 1.40pm, the LTA were hoping the weather would relent in an effort to complete the remaining first round matches.
Source: http://www.sportinglife.com/tennis/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=tennis/06/06/13/TENNIS_Edgbaston.html
No comments:
Post a Comment