Alexandra Panova bewilders Andrea Hlavackova in the qualifying 3rd
round – US Open 2011
Wrapping up the qualies was Czech Andrea Hlavackova against Russian Alexandra Panova on court 13 of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. It was the final upset of the day as World number 154 Panova got rid of world
number 111 Hlavackova as she battled back from a set behind to secure a place in the main draw. In two hours and 46 minutes, 22-year-old Panova won the match with a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(7)
Commencing the first set was 25 year-old Czech, after winning the pitch she smashed three aces to secure her lead on the score board at 1-0 and in the next few moments she committed a double fault.
Although she had managed to hit 54% of her first serves on target, they were incomparable to Panova who had managed a 72% of her first serves on target and with extreme precision she struck zero double faults.
Although, Panova was able to secure a 78% win on her first serve she had a poor second serve which resulted in her losing most of her points and they were rivalled by her opponent, who had a ostentatious win of 92% in her first
serves.
Hlavackova not only had a good percentage win in the first serve but also in the second and did not setup a single break point opportunity for her adversary to break her instead; she was able to capitalize on 33% of total break
points won.
Even though, the Czech had a mediocre return that won her only 36% of her total returns in the set, she was able to accomplish a total of 29 points in the set and saw a comprehensive victory in just 33 minutes of play.
After taking a thrashing in the first set, Panova pulled up her sleeves to see a complete reversal of fate and this time it was her who restricted the Czech to winning only two games in the entire set.
With a 75% win in the first serve points, Panova was able to convert a hundred percent of break points won and with eight more points in the total set points; she bagged the set in just 37 minutes.
The two had bagged a set each but the third set was not a comprehensive victory for Panova instead it was a 79 minute that went into a tie breaker.
Amidst the third set both the players had very similar points, breaking first Panova took the lead in the tie breaker but Hlavackova finally tied the score at 6-6 by breaking Panova. However, in the tie break the two had rallied
each other until Panova finally won two successive points by smashing two aces and clogged the set.
Out of the two Hlavackova was a stronger player but Panova played with nothing to lose and eventually secured a berth in the main draw of the US Open.
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