Julia Elbaba loses to Risa Ozaki in Girls’ Singles 1st round – US Open 2011
Opening the main draw of the US Open 2011 Girls Singles were also; American Julia Elbaba and Japanese Risa Ozaki. The two were contesting against each other for the first time on hard court 13 of USTa Billie Jean King National
Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York. Risa Ozaki won the match in straight sets of 6-3, 6-1.
Even though the crowd supported the American as she was playing on home soil, she was unable to win against the Japanese. Currently ranked at 113 in juniors, this year the American had contested in thirteen tournaments and won
two titles. Her year to date win loss record is sixteen matches won and only eight lost.
Mean while, Risa Ozaki is currently ranked at 57 amongst juniors and has a year to date win- loss of eleven matches won and eleven matches lost. Unfortunately this year her performance wasn’t what she had expected and was unable
to win any titles.
Luckily the toss was won by Ozaki and in the first four games the players won on alternate serves at which the score board read as 2-2. In the fifth and sixth games the two broke each other back-to-back to even out the score at
3-3. Ozaki held her serve in the seventh game and went on to break her opponent in the eighth to take a lead of 5-3. However, in the ninth game she served for the set and as she smashed an ace for the set point she won the game.
Although Elbaba lost, she didn’t give up easily and had smashed three aces and three winners but was unable to capitalize on the remaining eight break point chances and thus, lost the set.
Opening the second set was American Elbaba, who was broken in the first game; she then went on to breaking her adversary in the second game to even the score at 1-1. However, not wanting Elbaba to win more games Ozaki broke the
American again and by holding her serve in the fourth game she took the lead of 3-1. The Japanese broke her challenger’s serve in the fifth and then again in the seventh to see an en-route with a 6-1 set score.
By defeating qualifier Julia Elbaba, Ozaki was able to secure a berth in the second round where she will be facing German Annika Beck, who is seeded number ten.
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