Bethanie Mattek-Sands stuns former world number one Ana Ivanovic at Mutua Madrid Open
American Bethanie Mattek-Sands upset former world number one, Serb Ana Ivanovic by bouncing from a set down to win in a three set thriller on Sunday. She registered a 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over the Serb to advance into the second round of the 2011 Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open.
World number 41 Sands made an epic come back from losing the first set with a bagel to win the match against the Serb, ranked 24 places above her, in a three set thriller on their first meeting. By winning this one hour and forty-three minutes match, the American now took the lead in her head-to-head series against Ivanovic by 1-0.
26-year-old American had an awesome start of the season as she reached the finals at Hopman Cup and Hobart in January. She then made a semi-final berth at Paris before her form dipped in the proceeding tournaments. However, she reformed her strategy before entering at Park Manzanares and won the opener to aim for the $4,500,000 prize money.
15th seed Ivanovic on the other hand hasn’t had much activity this season so far but made a quarter-final berth at Pattaya and Indian Wells. She entered this WTA Premier mandatory event confidently and unleashed flurry of ground strokes to reel off first six games in a row to clinch the opening set with a bagel. The Serb produced a similar first serve share of 56 percent but registered an impressive 78 percent win on it. She conceded zero breakpoint and converted three out of six breakpoint opportunities to her advantage.
The American got back on track in the second set and held her opening serve plausibly. She then exchanged an early break and broke the Serb’s serve again later in the set to win with a 6-4 score line. Sands produced a much higher first serve share of 60 percent as compared to Ivanovic’s 42 percent and earned an amazing 83 percent win on it.
She kept her momentum flowing into the decider and held her opening serve spectacularly. Despite committing more double faults and losing a serve, Sands converted two out of seven breakpoint opportunities to her advantage to seal the set by winning six games to Serbs’ four. She also registered a convincing 71 percent win on her higher first serve share.
Sands will next face her fellow countrywoman Vania King. The qualifier earned a breadstick to down Russian Nadia Petrova to reach this spot.
King converted three out of four breakpoint opportunities to her advantage to clinch the match with a 6-1, 7-6(5) victory in one hour and twenty-three minutes. She had a higher first serve share of 79 percent as compared to Petrova’s 66 percent and earned an awesome 76 percent win on it.
Tags: