Alexandra Dulgheru struggles past Anastasia Pivovarova in the first round of the Andalucia Tennis Experience
Fourth seed Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru impressed tennis fans as she won the hard-fought clash against Anastasia Pivovarova of Russia in the opening round of the Andalucia Tennis Experience at Marbella, Spain. In the three-set
thriller, which carried on for almost three hours, Dulgheru defeated the unseeded Russian 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 7-5, on Monday to make it to the second round of the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) tournament.
The world number 27 finally had her revenge from Pivovarova, who defeated her three years ago at Bucharest. The versatile Romanian registered her fifth win of the current WTA season, levelling the head-to-head record against Pivovarova
to 1-1 at Marbella.
The contest was so intense and evenly poised that the opening two sets were extended to tie-breakers. 21-year-old Dulgheru clinched the first set after a stiff competition but suffered a slump in the second to let her opponent
bounce back in the game. The decisive set almost ended in another tie-breaker as well but a crucial serve break from the Romanian ensured victory for her in the 12th game.
An action-packed opener was seen with plenty of serve breaks from the two contestants. They both served equally well and cracked five break points each to drive the opening set into the tie breaker. A couple of costly unforced
errors on Pivovarova’s part let the fourth seed clinch the first set at 7-6(3).
The next set was almost a replication of the first one in term of game statistics, except fewer serve breaks being registered. Pivovarova was more proactive in the second set and crafted six opportunities to break serve, converting
two of them. Her opponent struck two serve breaks as well to keep the score board ticking on even terms at 6-6, enforcing a tie breaker for a second time in the game. The Russian kept her nerve this time and kept winning points on regularity to bag the second
set at 7-6(5), enforcing a third.
Dulgheru shifted her gears in the decider and won 24 out of 32 first serve points to get the better of her opponent. She spilled three double faults but her aggressive moves compensated for it. A routine game followed after the
two contestants inflicted a serve break each to take the scores 5-5, with the Romanian leading.
It looked as if Pivovarova will hold serve and impose another tie breaker but Dulgheru stung the all important break point to serve for the match at 6-5. The Russian couldn’t hamper Dulgheru from serving out of the contest at 7-5,
ending her voyage at the Andalucia Tennis Experience.
Dulgheru will take on the winner of the clash between Iveta Benesova of Czech Republic and Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain, in the second round at Marbella.
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