Francesca Schiavone and Yaroslava Shvedova win their opening clashes – Wimbledon Championships 2012
Francesca Schiavone vs. Laura Robson
World number 26, Francesca Schiavone, bounced back a set down to deny the 97th ranked booming starlet, Laura Robson, from a berth in the second round of Wimbledon on Tuesday. Robson started the match impressively, winning
the opening set 6-2 but couldn’t contain the Italian veteran in the following two sets; bowing out 4-6, 4-6.
The wildcard entrant was hoping to join her best friend, Heather Watson, in the second round of the tournament. However, it was not the case and the 18-year-old wildcard entrant was unable to defeat the former French Open Champion
on their second meeting. Previously, she lost the rubbers clash in Hopman Cup last year.
In a clash that lasted almost two hours and five minutes, Robson grabbed 86 points compared to 85 of her rival. Both players converted three breakpoints to their favour but in the end Schiavone was the lucky contestant who clinched
the critical points at pivotal stages of final two sets. The Briton committed 24 unforced errors compared to just 13 of her competitor.
Schiavone will contest her next match against the Czech booming starlet, Kristyna Pliskova.
Yaroslava Shvedova vs. Chanelle Scheepers
World number 65, Yaroslava Shvedova, defeated the 28-year-old South African superstar, Chanelle Scheepers, in the opening round clash of Wimbledon on Tuesday. It was an epic two-setter, witnessing two gruelling tie-breaker rounds
of play. The wildcard entrant from Kazakh inched ahead 7-6(5), 7-6(5) to upset the 43rd ranked South African.
Both players contested equally well and the score line doesn’t do justice to the South African contender who deserved to have another shot to the second round berth in the form of the third set play.
Shvedova won 95 points compared to 96 of her rival but she was luckier to bag the crucial points in the tie-break. Both contenders created 10 opportunities to break serve and converted four of them in their favour. The Kazakh superstar
committed 39 unforced errors; 14 more than her competitor. This is something that is disturbing for the quarter-finalist of the Roland Garros French Open.
However, a statistic that will give goose bumps to Shvedova is 28 winners that she struck on Tuesday against a superior ranked competitor. It was a terrific match-up featuring fantastic tennis rallies for almost two hours and two
minutes.
Shvedova will lock horns with the Dutch upset queen, Kiki Bertens, who stunned the 19th seed Czech, Lucie Safarova, in the opening round clash.
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