Eva Birnerova wins against sixth seeded Alla Kudryavtseva in semi-final – Tashkent Open 2011
Eva Birnerova met sixth seeded Alla Kudryavtseva in their semi-final match at the 2011 Tashkent Open on Saturday, 17th September. After battling it out for one hour and twenty one minutes on hard courts of Olympic School
Tennis Courts, Kudryavtseva retired after winning the first set with a left hamstring strain and handed the match to her Czech (Birnerova) adversary with a 3-6, 5-3 victory for Birnerova.
Although, the sixth seeded Kudryavtseva had never been beyond the quarterfinals of any event, she captured her maiden WTA singles title at the Tashkent Open in 2010 and serving with great resoluteness was the defending champion.
As Kudryavtseva served for the first game, she netted a forehand shot at 0-40 giving the game to her opponent and Birnerova again broke Kudryavtseva’s serve in the third game to take a lead of 3-0.
Even though, it was a poor start for the defending champion, she didn’t lose hope and broke back in the fourth game, she then went on to holding her serve in the fifth game and by the sixth broke Birnerova for the second time to
level the score at 3-3.
In the seventh game Kudryavtseva held her serve by smashing an ace at 40-30, she then went on to force an error from her opponent in the eighth game and the game went to a deuce. As she won the advantage, she hit a forehand down
the T and took the lead at 5-3. As she held her serve in the ninth game, she bagged the opening set.
Opening the second set was Birnerova and in reversal of fate Kudryavtseva went on to breaking her opponent in the first game and as she held her serve in the second, she took a mini lead of 2-0.
Birnerova ‘kangoo jumped’ in the third set and smashed a couple of forehands to bag the game and in the fourth game she broke the number sixth seeded to balance the score at 2-2.
During the fifth game Birnerova held her serve and was now one up, but in the sixth game the Kudryavtseva also held her serve to tie the score at 3-3.
Holding her serve in the seventh game Birnerova secured her lead of 4-3 and was looking to break in the eighth game, but the defending champion called for an examiner and after the examination, she went on playing but was again
broke by her Czech adversary for the second time to secure a lead of 5-3.
A sharp pain shot up Kudryavtseva and she was unable to play and limping she went back to the lockers. Mean while, Birnerova was able to secure a spot in the final and will be facing Ksenia Pervak.
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