Bethanie Mattek-Sands dumps Maryna Zanevska in the qualifying round – Porsche Tennis Grand Prix 2013
American veteran, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, had to struggle a bit to clear her second round qualifier against Maryna Zanevska, on Sunday. The 28-year-old struggled for two hours and 49 minutes to settle the final scores at 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, to reach the qualifying competition of Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, being played at Stuttgart, Germany.
The 19-year-old Ukrainian contender posted some solid resistance in the competition but Mattek-Sands used her years’ experience to manoeuvre her way out of the intense pressure situations. The sixth seeded American was off to an excellent start in the opening set, breaking the Zanevska early to attain a 4-1 lead. The Ukrainian teenager could hold just one serve game before she suffered another blow from Mattek-Sands, who break her serve for the second time to seal the set number one at 6-2.
It appeared as if the sixth seed American would conclude victory in straight sets but a sudden shift in momentum was witnessed in the following set. Zanevska broke her in the very first game of the match to 2-0 but the American veteran recovered with a break point in the fourth game to bring the scores to 2-2. Mattek-Sands showed some sloppy game play in the ninth game, giving an opportunity to the Czech youngster to get the upper hand in the match. Zanevska cashed in the break opportunity and then served out of the set at 5-4 to level the set score at one-all.
Tide turned in the decisive set once again when Mattek-Sands broke the Ukrainian serve in the first game and capitalised on her serve to reach 3-0. Zanevska continued with her struggle and managed to bring the scores down to 4-4 after a break point in the seventh game. A further exchange of break points was seen in the ninth and 10th games from both players. The scores reached 5-5 and the set was heading for a tie-break round when Mattek-Sands delivered the decisive blow. She broke Zanevska’s serve for the sixth time in the match and concluded her victory at 7-5.
Mattek-Sands will face the unseeded local contestant, Anna-Lena Friedsam, for making to the main rounds of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
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