2011 ASB Classic: Yanina Wickmayer makes her way into title battle
The 21-year-old Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium made it into the final of the 2011 ASB Classic competition after getting the better of Shuai Peng of China in three sets on Friday. The final match score was 3-6, 7-6, 7-5. The battle
lasted for a time period of two hours and fifty two minutes in Auckland.
Both the contenders, under hot and humid conditions, exhibited wonderful tennis before Yanina eventually survived a scare to emerge victorious in the end. Yanina, as a result of this victory, also proved that the Belgian is a true
fighter without any question.
“It was a tough match physically and mentally. She had a lot of chances in the second set to close it out but I am really happy that I pulled through,” said Yanina, who made her debut on the WTA tour back in 2004, after the match.
Peng, who brushed aside Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in the round two, played aggressive tennis throughout the match and her strategy did give a tough time to Yanina despite losing in the end.
Yanina did not start off strongly as she lost her opening service game against Peng. The Chinese did well to quickly take a lead of 3-0 which she maintained throughout the first set to clinch it in the end at 6-3.
After losing the opening set, the Belgian who achieved her career high ranking of world number twelve back in 2010 during the month of April, improved her game and earned a 3-1 lead during the start of the second set. The 21-year-old
Yanina also struggled badly due to her serve during the second set and thus committed a total of two double faults. The set was forced into a tie breaker which Yanina eventually won 7-3.
In the decisive set, the Belgian tennis ace got an early break and maintained this lead till the end to wrap up the match. She will take on either German Julia Goerges or Greta Arn in the title battle.
Greta Arn stunned everyone after knocking out the number one seed Maria Sharapova of Russia, on Thursday.
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