2010 WTA tour: Top 10 clashes of the year - Part 3
Contd. from Part 2
Here is the third part highlighting the top ten matches on the WTA tour in 2010 that exceeded all expectations and left a mark on the fans all around the world because of the sheer on-court class and topsy-turvy nature produced
by some of the top ranked players on the WTA tour.
5. Serena Williams surpasses Victorian Azarenka - Australian Open quarterfinal
Former World No.1 Serena Williams proved why she is one of the greatest tennis players of all times on the WTA tour when she snatched the win out of the claws of the feistiest of opponents to make her way into the semi-final round
in the year’s first Grand Slam.
Melbourne had been a witness to a variety of such comebacks from the American tennis star. One of the latest additions to this list came during the quarterfinal stage of the year’s opening Grand Slam, the Australian Open when the
right-hander bounced back from a set and deficit of 4-0 to get past her Belarusian foe in a battle that surprised everyone.
After stopping Victoria from grabbing the lead of 5-0, Williams held both of her serves to square off the set and then did well to force the second set into a final tie break which once again saw Victoria earning a lead of 3-1.
Serena Williams, however, did not lose hope and afterwards bounced back into the match with some quality tennis and ensured smooth sailing thereafter to clinch a three set win in the end. The final match score was 4-6, 7-6(4),
6-2 win.
After posting her victory, Williams reflected, "I am just happy to still be here. I was not playing my best, particularly in the first two sets. I definitely think I played well in the third; I was down the whole match from the
first point until the end. So I was surprised. I was definitely shocked to win."
4. Petra Kvitova outlasts Kaia Kanepi - Wimbledon quarterfinal
The All England Club has always been a stage to some of the most exciting clashes in the history of tennis. This season, the prestigious event also had its fair share of nail biters.
The match between Petra Kvitova and Kaia Kanepi was one of the lowest ranked final eight clash in the history of the sport yet it surpassed everyone’s expectations and displayed outstanding tennis.
Kaia prevented a total of three match points in the second set tie-break and two more in the third set besides her excellent recovery from the 0-4 last set deficit to emerge victorious in the end. The battle concluded in one hundred
and fifty eight minutes.
Interestingly, Kaia had never previously triumphed in a clash on a grass court before and her semifinal appearance at the event was no less than a dream come true for her.
After the win, the professional tennis player from the Czech Republic said, "At the beginning of the third set, I was so tired in the head and also physically. I was really down. And then I managed to break her, it was a new game,
and I just tried to win each point. When I was 5-2 down, I still knew that she could make some mistakes and I had my chance. Then I held my serve and I started thinking 'I can win'."
In spite of the fact that her tournament’s campaign was eventually ended by the ultimate winner Serena Williams in the semifinal, the right-hander did leave a mark on the green grass that will, most likely, in the future, witness
some more captivating performances.
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