Gisela Dulko crashes out to Alexandra Panova in the pre-quarter-finals in Bogota - Tennis Special
Argentinean ace, Gisela Dulko, bowed out by the Russian starlet, Alexandra Panova, in straight sets at the XX Copa BBVA Colsanitas 2012 on Thursday. She suffered a 5-7, 2-6 loss against the world number 118 in the second round at this WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) International event held on the clay courts in Bogota, Colombia.
Fifth seeded Dulko displayed dismal performance throughout the set and eventually bowed out by the 22-year-old in their first meeting at Club Campestre El Rancho. She committed several unforced errors and eight double faults to exit from this competition in almost one and a half hour long marathon.
"I didn't play one of my best matches in the altitude today. I couldn't find my rhythm," the disappointed Argentinean told press after the match. "But I think she played a great match. I give credit to her, she really deserved it."
Ranked 68th in the WTA rankings, Dulko high spiritedly entered the match and drew the first blood in the opening game, consequently jumping to a 2-0 lead. Regardless of losing her track afterwards and gifting away her serve twice, the Argentinean recovered again in the ninth game. However, she failed to save another break opportunity in the last game and registered a 5-7 defeat.
The 27-year-old stepped off gas in the following set and after losing her serve twice she lingered at 1-5. Dulko lowered her trail by snatching a break back in the seventh game but suffered another shock in the follow-up game, subsequently suffering a 2-6 loss. The Argentinean cashed in the only break chance but failed to brush off all three breakpoints she came across.
The Argentinean veteran needs to improve her games in order to outclass the upcoming stars. She wasn’t at her best in Bogota and squandered her chance to lift her fifth career title. However, the Argentinean’s mistakes will help her perform better in the next tournament she enters.
Panova on the other hand smashed five aces and took full advantage of the Argentinean’s errors. She also clobbered a better first serve share and impressively clinched 26 out of 39 points on it.
"It's very difficult to play here for everyone. It's about handling the nerves and the conditions," the beaming Russian told reporters. "The one who finds a way to put the ball over the net and into the court at the end of the day wins."
Next up for the Moscow resident is Karin Knapp from Italy who battled past the local wild card entrant, Catalina Castano, in a mouth-watering there setter. The Italian rising star lost her serve twice in the second set but dominated in the decider, eventually sealing the deal with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 score line in two hours and six-minutes.
Earlier that day, top seeded Marina Erakovic was stunned by the Romanian challenger, Edina Gallovits-Hall, in straight sets in their first meeting. The Kiwi found five break chances but converted one to her advantage. On the other hand she dusted away only four out of seven breakpoints she encountered, registering a shocking 4-6, 4-6 defeat in the end.
The Croatian-born Erakovic spilled more errors and manifested a poor first serve share of 49 percent in the match.
As a result all seeds were ousted in the first or the second round, making it the first WTA event since Hobart in 2009 where no seeded players advanced into the quarter-finals.
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