Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Angelique Kerber: Semi-Final Preview – Toray Pan Pacific Open 2012
Stage is set for the two big guns of the Women Tennis Association to kick-off the semi-final of the Toray Pan Pacific Open on Friday. At the one side of the court, it will be the defending champion from Poland, Agnieszka Radwanska,
and she will take on the likes of the sixth ranked German star, Angelique Kerber, who has been the most improved player of the season having gobbled up 60 victories already in 2012. So, it will be a terrific match-up between the right-handed Pole and the left-handed
German.
On paper, the odds definitely tilt towards the 23-year-old Pole who has defeated the fellow German on three different occurrences in the past. However, 24-year-old German is just a triumph away in equalizing the head-to-head scores
and that means that it will be a big clash for her as the revenge mission will be on her mind throughout the encounter. Whenever the feelings and rivalry comes into play, it brings the best out of the contestant in terms of efforts and energy.
Radwanska met Kerber at the clay courts of Qatar Telecom German Open in Berlin four years ago. She won the match in emphatic fashion; thumping the now-top ranked German to a bagel in the opening set before Kerber surrendered in
the second set; withdrew due to an injury.
The revenge came in at the first round of the China Open 2010 in Beijing where Kerber stole a triumph deep in three sets and won the third clash as well during the second round of the US Open last year. The Pole levelled the head-to-head
tally with a victory in the following month at the previous edition of this tournament. Earlier in the season, Radwanska ousted the German in the Wimbledon Championships and regained the lead.
It’s high time for the left-handed German to equalize the head-to-head scores with the victory on Friday. She lost in the previous edition of the Toray Pan Pacific Open to the same competitor so the agony and revenge will be on
her mind but it will be test of her nerves and temperament as well. Radwanska is the defending champion in Tokyo and highest seed left so it is her prime chance to save all her points by successfully defending her title.
A lot is on stake with a semi-final clash on Friday. Kerber received a walkover coming into the clash as the top seed Belarusian star, Victoria Azarenka, pulled out of the contest due to dizziness. So, she should show better energy
level having rested a day more than her opponent. However, the Pole didn’t break sweat either in ousting the former world number one, Caroline Wozniacki, in the quarter-final clash on Thursday. She hammered the Dane in straight sets taking just an hour and
37 minutes.
So, the third seed Pole is all set to double the head-to-head lead and more importantly reach the final showdown with a cracking victory over the German. However, Kerber is not going to be a piece of cake with the agonizing history
between the two players coupled with some emphatic run of form this year. My pick for the match is Angelique Kerber. What’s yours?
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
Tags: