Ayumi Morita defeats Jelena Dokic in the 1st round – Mercury Open 2011
The Japanese, Ayumi Morita survived a mid match lapse victory over the Australian Jelena Dokic in the first round of the Mercury Open 2011 in Carlsbad, California. Meeting for the first time both players had battled on the hard
courts of the La Costa Resort and Spa. Morita won the match 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.
Morita won the pitch and opened the set 1-0. She had struck zero double faults and smashed no aces. She had achieved a grand 89% in her first serve points along with an exceptional return in her second return points that amounted
to 82%. Morita’s defence was sturdy and she did not allow a single break point opportunity to her opponent and instead broke her opponent thrice.
Although, Dokic had bagged a 70% win in her first serves opening the set, she was only able to hit 25% of her total returns. Her defence was weak and she was only unable to save 3 of her break points and capitalized on none.
Across the board; Morita had bagged 75% of her total serve points along with 57% of her total return and therefore won the set with almost twice as many points as her opponent’s
The second set saw a reversal of events, where Morita had performed superbly she now had lost total control of her game and even though she struck zero double faults along with no aces, she was still able to achieve an average
48% in her total serve points. At the same time she had a mediocre return winning only 42% of her total return points.
Frustrated from the first set Dokic had put in a hundred percent of her effort into the second set and she performed comparatively much better in her attack and defence. Although she was unable to save her break points she converted
3 of the 7 break point chances that were presented to her.
The set was a close call between both the players; however, Dokic had won the set with 5 points more than her adversary’s.
The two had equalized the set score to 1-1 each; this was the determining set of the match serving first with great enthusiasm was Dokic. Although, she smashed an ace, she also struck seven double faults hitting the net! It seemed
she thought her opponent was the net and not Morita! Additionally, her defence was weak and she converted only three of the eleven break points and was unable to save 4 break points.
Both the players had almost similar points but due to an enhanced performance in her return and serve Morita won the set with four points more than her opponents.
The 21-year-old has managed to qualify for the second round of the Mercury Open 2011.
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