Abigail Spears destroys Alexa Glatch in the qualifying 2nd round – Bank of the West Classic 2011
The Americans, Abigail Spears and Alexa Glatch contested in the qualifying second round of the Bank of the West Classic Tournament 2011 at the Taube Family Tennis Center Stanford University, California. The elder compatriot (Abigail)
won the match in one hour, 47 minutes and 46 seconds 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
This was not the first time both the players were contesting against each other; the first time they met was at the Cincinati Open in 2006. After losing the first match against Abigail the Higher Power had given Alexa a chance
to avenge her loss, they met at the Quebec City Open where again Abigail won the match to lead the head-to-head score by 2-0. Fate had given yet another chance to the younger American (Alexa) to avenge her loss at the Bank of the West Classic Tournament 2011,
but alas!
Abigail served first with resoluteness as she had previously won their head to head and hit an ace. However, during the next few minutes she struck two double faults which hit the net. Abigail won the same percentage of forty five
percent in both total return and serve points of the set. Even though, Glatch performed better at her return serve than her serve she too won fifty five percent on both her total return and serve points.
Both the players had a relatively similar defence and the set was close but Glatch won the set with a 6-4 victory and with only six more points of the total set points than that of her opponents.
The second set saw a change of events and after taking a beating in the first set Abigail came back with a vengeance. Serving first with a little apprehension she opened the score card 1-0 and smashed an ace. With extreme accuracy
Abigail struck zero double faults and was able to win sixty five percent of her total serve points where as Glatch only managed a mere forty two percent. Abigail’s fans cheered for her, giving the boost that she required, she hung tight on to her defence
and gave her opponent only on break point to capitalise on while managing to convert three of the eight break point opportunities to her advantage. The Higher power had turned the tables in favour of Abigail; she finally was able to equalize her set to set
score 1-1.
The final deciding set of the match was the third set. Both the compatriots had won, one set each, this set would determine whose getting the boot and who will get to stay. Abigail was not to give up and serving first hit two aces
and her accuracy faltered twice throughout the third set hitting two line faults. She was able to hit sixty one percent of her first serves on the target and won a total of seventy three percent of her total service points along with a below average thirty
nine percent win in the total return points.
The 30-year-old (Abigail) was able to save all her break points committed on her serve and converted fifty percent of break points that she faced. Although Glatch should’ve hung in the match and fought back she didn’t, instead
it was as if the loss had taken its toll and she had given up. Her performance was unsatisfactory and she had twelve less points than Abigail’s.
Despite her age, Abigail won the match because of an exceptional consistent performance and eradicated Glatch completely.
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