Jie Zheng beats Johanna Larsson in straight sets in final qualies – Cincinnati Open 2011
As the Cincinnati Open kicked off on 15th August, Monday, forty eight women competed in the qualifier stage to battle it out for a spot into the main draws of the event. The Lindner Family Tennis Centre crowded up with
fans as they witnessed Jie Zheng, Chinese; disrupt the world No.63, Johanna Larsson of Sweden, with the former awarding a tormenting 6-1, 6-2 defeat to the her rival in less than seventy minutes.
Ranked as the current World No.65, Zheng surely has made a strong comeback after she dropped her ranking from world no. 15 to world No.82 in 2010 with a left wrist injury. Nevertheless, the Chinese pulled her way smashing in the
final qualifier match of the Cincinnati Open 2011 with strong double-handed backhands and a dominating return play.
Playing the former world No.15 for the first time, the higher ranked Swede, world No.63, experienced one of a kind beating on Sunday, 14th August. Underestimating the Chinese world No.65, Larsson took a walk to the locker
room gobbled up.
Zheng served the first set opener and surprisingly lost. However, this loss might have made the Swede over confident. Breaking Larsson in the next, the Chinese levelled the scores, 1-1. Extending her lead to 2-1 in game 3, Zheng
once again broke with smashing lightening forehands to lead 3-1. The Chinese fired up further on beating the Swede in game 5, 6 and finally in game 7 to take away the first set 6-1.
The first set was undoubtedly disastrous for the higher ranked Swede. Breaking her challenger thrice in one set, overturning the tables Zheng won most of the returners in the best position. Winning 16 service points and 17 returners,
the Chinese locked up the first set securing 33 points. However, the beating was yet undone.
The second set started off with the Swede serving first and rolling the scorecards, 1-0. Zheng followed winning the second game and levelling the scores to 1-1. With a better play, Larsson stood up to win game 3 of the set and
lead 2-1. However, the Chinese copied every number levelling the scores for the second and the last time in the match, 2-2.
Game 5 came as the jaw breaker for the world No.63, as she was broken by the Chinese and dropped down one game. Zheng increased her lead from 3-2 to 4-2 after game 6. The thrashing continued in the following two games that finally
ended the set and the match in favour of the Chinese world No.65.
In addition to the 33 points in the first set, Zheng secured another 32 totalling 65 points to win herself a seat in the main draws of the Cincinnati Open 2011.
Tags: