Jie Zheng dumps Maria-Jose Martinez Sanchez in the first round – HP Japan Open 2012
World number 24, Jie Zheng, got the better of the Spanish veteran, Maria-Jose Martinez Sanchez, in the first round of the HP Japan Women’s Open 2012. She jolted down her lead after battling past her rival after a tough three-set
thriller, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, on Tuesday on the courts of Osaka, Japan.
The Chinese participant maintained a 2-0 lead in the head-to-head series against the world number 154, Sanchez. In the year 2010, she summed up her 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 win in the second round of the Australian Open.
In a post match interview Zheng said, “Maybe I could have played a bit better at some points but I'm happy to get the win. I think this is going to be my last tournament of the year so hopefully I can have a good week and make
it into the Top 50.”
Robson who will battle against the Chinese in the next round said, “She's always a tough person to play against and I thought she played really well today. I was ready to play a tough match and she competed really well.”
The left-hander Spanish contender, Sanchez, displayed a reasonable pace in the initial set but as the game kicked forward, she faced a serious pressure by her challenger. This resulted in the crossing over of the score line, after
every alternate game. Sanchez swiftly carried her lead with a beautiful rhythm and reeled off the last two games, crashing a 6-4 lead.
The 29-year-old Chinese participant unleashed her classic abilities in the second set. Both players held most of their serves but Zheng lost her pace in the later part. However, she struggled hard to gain the momentum to match
her challenger’s pressure. She established a breakthrough in the ninth game. She took a flying start to the end, skillfully she terminated the second set with a 7-5 lead after grabbing the last two games.
In the decider, both players were unable to hold their initial serves and repeatedly brushed away each other. The right-hander Chinese cashed the Spaniard’s serve in the ninth game, stealing the final set with a 6-4 win
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