Ana Ivanovic steamrolls Sloane Stephens in 3rd round – US Open 2011
Meeting for the first time on the Arthur Ashe Stadium was sixteen seeded Ana Ivanovic and home girl Sloane Stephens. Both duelled on hard courts during the third round of the US Open where Ivanovic won in 74 minutes with a straight
set victory of 6-3, 6-4
Former world number one Ivanovic was first to open the set and smashing two consecutive aces in the first game, she bagged a 1-0. She then went on to take the lead at 2-0 by breaking her adversary’s serve in the second game. Not
wanting to let Ivanovic increase the lead, Stephens broke Ivanovic to edge closer and eventually as she held her serve in the fourth game, she was able to balance the score at 2-2. Ivanovic won on her serve in the fifth game and broke again in the sixth taking
a lead of 4-2. In the following game Sloane broke back and was now only a game behind. During the eighth game Ivanovic broke her rival for the last and third time to finally take the lead at 5-3; eventually winning on her serve she bagged the set.
Although, the crowd cheered for the home girl and Sloane performed her best, she was still unable to weaken her opponent’s defence. On the contrary, Ivanovic had smashed 11 winners and managed to win 56% of her total receiving
points which assisted her in attaining 6 more points than Stephens.
Amidst the second set Sloane took the lead in the second as she was able to break through Ivanovic’s defence but Ivanovic broke back in the third and by the fourth game the players had tied the score at 2-2. In the fifth game the
Serb (Ivanovic) had again managed to break Stephens and as she held her serve in the sixth game she took the lead at 4-2. Not ready to throw the gauntlet Stephens held her serve and broke Ivanovic in the eighth game to even out the score at 4-4. At such a
crucial stage of the game, Ivanovic broke her opponent for the last time at swayed the set towards her side. Finally holding her serve in the tenth game she doled out the set and the match to her American adversary.
Sloane was unable to capitalize on the remaining 3 break point opportunities and with eleven unforced errors she lost the second. If only she had utilized the remaining break point chances, she might have been able to play another
set.
When all was said and done, Ivanovic was a better player and at the end the crowd cheered for the players as they had performed with enthusiasm and tried the out most.
Ana Ivanovic was finally able to secure a place in the fourth round of the US Open where she will be facing the thirteen times Grand Slam winner Serena Williams, who has had a remarkable hard court summer season.
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