Agnieszka Radwanska outplays Daniela Hantuchova; advances into semi-final – Mercury Open 2011
Friday August 5th, 2011 saw the start of the quarter final of the Mercury Insurance Open 2011, Carlsbad, California. The match was set and the Pole Agnieszka Radwanska was battling Daniela Hantuchova for the seventh
time at the La Costa Resort and Spa on hard courts. Radwanska surpassed a first-set defeat to overcome eighth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova 0-6, 6-4, 6-4.
The eighth seeded Hantuchova threw an ace and with extreme precision did not strike a single double fault instead she won 12 out of 17 service points, making it a 71 percent win in the first set. Whereas, the Pole was struggling
with her shoulder injury and failed to keep her precision, hence she struck 2 line faults.
The 28-year old had a strong back hand which enabled her to win a commendable 12 out of 16 return points, which were more than double her opponent's, making it a 75% win in the total return points.
Amidst the first set, the Slovakian did not allow the 22-year old Pole (Radwanska) any break point opportunity, instead capitalised on 75% of the Pole’s break points. While, Radwanska was only able to save one break point out of
the four on her serve.
Radwanska called for a WTA trainer after clinching only nine points in the first set. Therefore, Hantuchova won the set with a flawless victory of 15 points more than her Polish opponent.
Following her loss in the first set Radwanska said, “After you lose 6-love, you really have nothing to lose.”
After taking a beating in the first set, the world number 13, Radwanska pulled up her socks and perfected her accuracy to throw zero double faults.
Her (Radwanska) Polish defence was not so sturdy and she was only able to save one of the three break points on her serve, however she broke her opponent 3 out of the 5 chances she faced with.
Mean while, the Slovakian’s defence was not as clumsy as her opponent’s and as she was able to 2 of the 5 break points along with benefiting on the 67% of break points won.
Hantuchova’s victory was short lived as she plummeted in her serve and return serve winning only 47% and 48% respectively. On the contrary, Radwanska served more aggressively and won 52% of her service points against the Slovak,
along with winning 53% of her total return points, thus giving a total 52% win to outsmart her 28-year-old (Daniela) opponent.
By the end of the second set both the players had bagged a set each and this was the final deciding set of the match as to who will qualify to the semi final.
Having won the second set, the Pole served one ace, struck no double faults, succeeded in attaining 18 out of 24 service points and hence, making it an exceptional 75% win against the 28-year-old Slovak.
Although, the 22-year-old was not capable of saving the sole break point, she was able to break her opponent 2 out of the three breakpoint chances she received, whereas, Hantuchova availed only one break point that she faced.
The Pole (Radwanska) qualified to the seminfinal of the Mercury Insurance Open 2011 by accomplishing 47% percent of total return points and achieving 59% of total points, hence, bouncing back from a set down, in 2 hours and 10
minutes.
Agnieszka Radwanska will face former world number one Andrea Petkovic in the semi final on Saturday the 6th of August 2011.
Tags: