2010 Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions; Highlights from Thursday
The Serbian tennis sensation Ana Ivanovic registered her name as the first player to make her way into the semi-final round of the 2010 Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions, after brushing aside the tour’s top teenager, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Thursday.
The 22-year-old Ana who is playing as an unseeded contender at the $600,000 year-ending competition, took a lead of 6-0, 5-0 before her third seed foe, Pavlyuchenkova got on the board, however by then the chances of battling back into the game had faded
and the Serbian star in the end sealed win in two sets. The final match score was 6-0, 6-1.
Ana, who is coming off her title victory at the 2010 Generali Ladies Linz Open, blasted a total of six aces to only a single double fault on Thursday. The Serbian advanced into the final round in Linz after getting the better of Roberta Vinci in straight
sets. The final score line was 6-3, 7-5. In the title battle, the right hander who made her debut on the WTA tour back in 2003, dispatched off Patty Schnyder to end her nineteen months trophy drought. The final match score was 6-1, 6-2. The encounter was stretched
to a time period of forty five minutes.
While commenting on her win against Anastasia, the 1.86 meters tall Ana reflected, “It was an almost perfect performance. Anastasia is a tough opponent and even though the score indicates it was easy, there were still a few close games. I thought I served
well, played aggressively and moved well, so there was not much wrong today."
The professional tennis ace who is currently ranked number 24 in the South African Airways WTA list when asked about her Linz victory added, “It gives you confidence, not only the score line, but the way you play. I really think things are coming back together.
I feel the things I have been working on, I can see them working in matches now, and that makes a big difference when you are under pressure and playing the important points in a match."
The next match of the day was far closer, with one of the championship’s two wildcards, Kimiko Date Krumm, cruising past the number one seed Li Na in a three-setter clash. The final match score was 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Kimiko immediately took a lead of 5-1 and in spite of the fact that she did win the opening set at 6-4; Li did well to improve her game in the following set and in the end took it at 3-6. In the decisive set of the match on Thursday, Li despite of building
a 3-1 lead couldn’t continue her domination as the Japanese number one player won five of the last six games to clinch win in the end.
Kimiko in her post match interview while talking to the reporters said that Li is a highly talented contender on the WTA tour and the match was tight in the decisive set. However, she didn’t lose focus and kept on playing her natural game and in the end
managed to make her way into the next round in Bali.
Kimiko, as a result of this victory will take on Ana Ivanovic in the semi-final round. Both of them have never played against each other on the tour so it is definitely going to be a tough battle considering Ana’s title victory in Linz and Kimiko’s current
form.
In other quarter final matches on Friday, the second seed Aravane Rezai will meet Alisa Kleybanova, whereas, the fourth seed Yanina Wickmayer and Daniela Hantuchova will also square off for the final berth in Bali.
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