Anne Keothavong, Arina Rodionova blast into last eight – Van Open 2011
Second seeded Anne Keothavong of Great Britain steamrolled her way into the quarter-finals of the Vancouver Open when she overpowered Hong Kong's Ling Zhang in straight
sets on Wednesday.
Keothavong recovered from an early break to score a close first set before stealing the second to grab the match in straight sets 6-4, 6-1.
The Brit won the tournament in 2007 and showed enough resistance against Zhang to suggest she was still the woman to beat this year.
Keothavong used her booming serve to brilliant effect but she was also able to match her opponent in the rallies, often pinning Zhang deep in the court and forcing a host
of errors, particularly towards the end of the first set and throughout the second.
The 2007 champion served a single ace to Zhang's zero and won 73 per cent of points on her first serve, underlining her dominance, although she had to work hard to subdue
some early brilliance from the woman hailing from Hong Kong.
Keothavong wrapped up her clean effort by securing 73 percent on first serve and 43 percent on second serve while saving four of six break point opportunities during the
whole match.
She now moves on into the quarterfinals of the tournament where she will meet either Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak or compatriot Laura Robson.
Elsewhere, Arina Rodionova of Russia entered the quarterfinals of the tournament as she beat Gail Brodsky of America in three sets 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, being played at the Hollyburn
Country Club, Vancouver, Canada.
Rodionova rebounded from a choke in her second round match against the American, losing the first set 6-3 to Brodsky in no time but reeled off next two sets to reach the
next spot.
Playing an all-out attack, Brodsky clinched the opener with a difference of seven points in total and entered the second set with much confidence.
The American continued her momentum into the second set to break in the opening game and then held her serve to move 3-0 up while Rodionova looked a little hopeless and
had to save three break points to stay in the second set.
However, the Russian hung on and broke back for 4-4 when Brodsky hit long and allowed the Russian to settle the score on even terms.
Although Rodionova was made to work hard in the second set, she responded right back in the third and weathered the storm with some powerful forehand winners to set up a
6-5 lead where Brodsky was never in, losing the match with five games to Rodionova’s seven.
Rodionova now marches on into the next round where she will meet Poland’s eighth seed, Urszula Radwanska in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Tags: