Grandin/ Uhlirova defeat Benesova/ Zakopalova in semi-final – Hansol Korea Open 2011
Friday, 24th of September kicked off with the top seeded team, Natalie Grandin with Vladimira Uhlirova opening the round of four doubles matches of the Hansol Korea Open 2011 at Seoul, South Korea. Playing the third seeded team
of Iveta Benesova with Klara Zakopalova, the South African (Grandin) and Czech Uhlirova nailed the Czech pair (Benesova/ Zakopalova) 7-6(5), 0-6, 10-7 in an hour and twenty three minutes of play to qualify into the final.
The opening set was initiated with the last year’s runner-up and crowd favourites (Grandin/ Uhlirova), who held their serve in the first game and successfully placed themselves on the score board. After taking an immediate lead,
soon to follow behind was the Czech pair of Benesova/ Zakopalova, who too easily placed themselves on the scoreboard.
The two squads were extremely competitive and neither of the teams wanted the other to take the lead. Trailing behind the crews levelled the score at 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and then on 5-5. Eventually the set went into a tiebreaker at 6-6
with both the parties ready to pounce at each other.
During the tie breaker the players again battled it out matching a blow for a blow in the first ten games to level the score at 5-5. However, the steam between the two was lost when Grandin/ Uhlirova held their serve in the eleventh
point and by the twelfth were waiting to seize the first opportunity to break Benesova/ Zakopalova. Capitalizing on the only break or rather a slip from the Czech pair, Grandin / Uhlirova conquered the tiebreaker with a 7-5.
By the end of the first set the number one seeded team was looking to achieve a flawless second set, however, that wish did come true but not for them. Instead, Benesova/ Zakopalova not only held their serves in the second set
but from the very beginning benefited from an early break.
They later kept thrashing their opponents and taught them never to undermine an opponent. Thus, by not only winning on their own serve but also on their adversaries serve they accomplished a flawless second set.
The two teams had won a set apiece and were now competing for the super tie breaker. The toe-to-toe run between the two teams continued well into the super tiebreaker and during the first fourteen games the score kept tied until
7-7. A Serve-break-serve from Grandin/ Uhlirova, won them the super tie breaker and the match to secure a place in the final.
Tags: