Julia Cohen stuns Magdalena Rybarikova in the quarters – Baku Cup 2012
World number 134, Julia Cohen, ousted her Slovak age-fellow, Magdalena Rybarikova, to book a spot in the semi-final of the Baku Cup, contested in Azerbaijan.
A remarkable comeback was witnessed on the eve of Thursday as the American starlet lost the opening set 3-6 but returned back hard at her rival to win the following two sets 6-3, 6-4.
The encounter featured a gruelling battle between the two players that lasted almost two hours and 31 minutes. Both players took a lot of toll on their body but refused to bow down until the last moment.
Despite a cracking start from the Slovak, the upset was bound to happen considering her last two set performance. Actually, Rybarikova was not making mistakes but her opponent was playing some superb tennis that forced her to witness
returns sailing past her at a rocketing pace.
The opening set started off in a traditional fashion and no breakpoints were witnessed for the first five games. However, the much wanted breakthrough was clasped by the superior ranked Slovak who led the scores 4-2.
Both players tested each other on their serves but no one actually managed to register another breakthrough that saw Cohen trailing from a set down after the end of nine games.
Despite losing the opening set, the inferior ranked Cohen didn’t lose heart and commenced the second phase of the match in thumping fashion. She led the scores 2-0 courtesy a breakthrough and sustained the lead of two games until
the sixth game.
A swap of breakpoints hinted at something exciting towards the end of the second set but the American placed a lid on the game style of her rival and survived the late scare in the 18th game of the match to level the
set scores.
The 23-year-old American commenced the final set at a cruising pace; leading the scores 2-0 courtesy a breakpoint. However, a thunderous comeback from her rival witnessed her game down at 2-3.
However, the Slovak couldn’t hold her nerve in the dying stages of the final set and dropped a breakpoint that gave her opponent a lead of 4-3. Cohen consolidated her position with a serve hold and exerted more pressure on her
rival.
In the end it was the inferior ranked American who came on top and booked a spot in the last four of the tournament. She will either face Mandy Minella or Olga Puchkova in the next round depending on whoever wins the quarter-final
match.
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