Akgul Amanmuradova rallies past Vladimira Uhlirova into the main draw – Family Circle Cup 2012
Fourth seed, Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan, advanced to the main draw, as she beat world number 1184, Vladimira Uhlirova of Czech Republic, in three sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the final qualifier at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston,
USA on Sunday.
Amanmuradova and Uhlirova started in a steady manner, winning their first two serve games to level the score at 2-2. They broke each other in the next three games and took the score to 4-3 in favour of Amanmuradova. The Uzbek captured
two more consecutive games to grab it 6-3.
Ranked 118th in the world, Amanmuradova banged in five aces and 71 percent of the first deliveries, converting 10 of the 17 of them into points in the opener. The Uzbek and Uhlirova sent accurate replies to each other’s
serve, bagging eight of the 14 and four of the seven second return points respectively.
Uhlirova took an early lead in the second set, snatching a break in the very first game and consolidating on it to go up 2-0. The Czech struck again in the ninth game and closed it 6-3.
The 33-year-old served quite well, as she smacked a couple of aces, converting nine of the 10 first and seven of the nine second deliveries into points. In comparison, Amanmuradova was self destructive, as she committed five double
faults and hit just 40 percent of the first serves. The Uzbek could not create any break opportunity on Uhlirova’s serve and failed to save the two threats she faced in the second set.
In a similar fashion to the opener, Amanmuradova and Uhlirova did not lose their serve in the first four games to square off the score at 2-2 in the final set. The Uzbek made a breakthrough in the fifth game and held her next to
build a 4-2 lead. Amanmuradova capitalised on the advantage and served it out at 5-4.
The Uzbek made amendments in her serve and improved it drastically. She pounded four aces and 71 percent of the first deliveries, pocketing 15 of the 20 points on them. The Tashkent, Uzbekistan resident put away both break points
she faced and availed one of the four of her own in the decider.
It took Amanmuradova an hour and 58 minutes to end the challenger from her lower ranked opponent.
The Uzbek is pitted against fellow qualifier, Jill Craybas of USA, in the opening match of the main round.
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