Huber/ Raymond beat Cara Black/ Shahar Peer in the quarterfinals – AEGON International 2011
Hoping to improve their winning streak this year so far, the second seeded American pair of Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond took only one hour and sixteen minutes to overcome the Zimbabwean-Israeli pair of Cara Black and Shahar Peer
in the quarterfinals of the AEGON International, being played here at Eastbourne in England.
Both teams displayed incredible ball-striking, explosive speed and excellent stamina from very early on in the match. The first set was a bit deadlocked in terms of break points, with neither team allowing any chances to craft
any break point opportunity.
The Zimbabwean-Israeli duo fired in a single ace, 67 percent on serve, and dropped only ten points on them. With the Zimbabwean-Israeli duo playing really well, Huber and Raymond found themselves frequently at 0-4, but showed grit
and determination to haul their level time and time again.
A tie-breaker was needed badly to settle them, as both teams continued to pummel each other with bruising groundstrokes and dazzling forehands. And so everyone might have expected from the second seeded pair, Huber and Raymond
streamlined their game at the critical parts of the tie-breaker to establish a 5-2 lead, and despite a mini revival from their opponents, the Americans were absolutely ruthless in securing the first set.
Playing their quarterfinal match, Huber and Raymond totally justified their top seeding as they converted 100 percent break points en route to the second set. Furthermore, they clinched 55 percent on service, 44 percent on return
and 49 of points in total to enter the second set dominantly.
The Zimbabwean-Israeli pair’s languid game allowed Huber and Raymond to continue their dominion, as they responded magnificently, serving with aplomb at the crucial moments, and volleying crisply under pressure. It spoke volumes
about American’s controlled aggression that their opponents did not win a single game in the second set.
An early decisive break in the second set buoyed the spirits of the American-duo and the crowd further, and Black and Peer seemed unable to change their game plan or lift their performance levels. Frustratingly smashing the ball
into the net several times, it was pretty indicative of their opponent’s being lousy as they had no answer to their opponent’s magnificent shots. Huber and Raymond won the second set with a bagel and concluded the match that lasted for one hour and sixteen
minutes.
Up next for Huber and Raymond is the fourth-seeded pair of Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Meghann Shaughnessy, and as for Black and Peer, it was a very a lousy performance, facing an early exit at the tournament. With the Wimbledon
Championships approaching, the Zimbabwean-Israeli duo will need to work harder than ever in an attempt to lift the level of their game.
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