Alla Kudryavtseva crushes Kateryna Kozlova to reach the second qualifier – Tashkent Open 2012
World number 114, Alla Kudryavtseva, locked horns against the 18-year-old Ukrainian player, Kateryna Kozlova, in the first qualifier of the Tashkent Open. She clinched the triumph in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 and marched ahead with
no problem at all. She is just two steps away from the main round spot.
Earlier this year, both players went head-to-head in the second round of the Donetsk Challenger. It was relatively a close battle featuring three sets but the winner didn’t change. Hence, the improvement can be derived from the
two results.
World number 222, Kozlova, started the match at a low note; failed to capitalize on her serve despite to serve hold opportunities and gifted the early breakthrough to her rival. It was a good start for the second seed Russian who
protected the breakpoint with a commanding serve hold and posted a lead of 2-0.
Kozlova is just 18-year-old and she needs to nurture some defensive shots that will help her to counter the onslaught of the experienced personnel like Kudryavtseva. She failed to hold serve in the fifth game as well and went down
to a mammoth trail of 1-4.
The Ukrainian teen was close on recovering the breakpoint back in the following game but failed to do so despite having allotted a marvellous chance. Things looked impressive for the Russian and she broke serve for the second time
in a row to round off the opening set proceedings in just seven games.
Kudryavtseva started the second set in a commanding style; held her serve to wipe off the nervy scare and coupled it up with a stunning winner that earned the first breakpoint of the second phase of the match. She was tested rigorously
in the third game but came on top with a serve hold; continued to capitalize on her serves and kept her lead intact until the scores reached 4-2.
Kozlova exerted immense pressure on her competitor and had three scintillating chances to break serve in the seventh game but hat-trick of poor returns didn’t allow her to level the scores. In the following game, she failed to
hold serve and that confirmed the clash between Alla Kudryavtseva and Anna Chakvetadze.
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