Julia Goerges dispatches Daniela Hantuchova to start the tour – Generali Ladies Linz 2012
World number 19, Julia Goerges, hammered the 38th ranked Slovak star, Daniela Hantuchova, in the first set and bounced back a breakpoint down in the second to open the tour of Linz with a triumph. She won the opening
set 6-4 and made a remarkable comeback in the second phase tie-breaker to round off the proceedings 7-6(5). It was the second head-to-head triumph for the 23-year-old German who has confirmed her spot in the second round of the Generali Ladies Linz in Austria.
The 29-year-old Slovak failed to find strong footing in the opening set and gifted the breakpoint in the first game of the match. It was a terrible mistake that forced the Slovak to stay behind throughout the set. She was extremely
close in breaking her opponent’s serve in the sixth game but three straight points for the German shattered her dreams.
Both players showed immense control on their serves in the rest of the proceedings of the opening set that proved the first game to be the pivotal factor in deciding the winner of the first phase. Trailing a set down, the 29-year-old
Slovak needed a good start to the second phase. She got one courtesy a breakthrough in the second game of the set after surviving the early scare. She led the scores 3-0 but not before the German resisted for quite some time.
Goerges failed to break serve until her rival prepared to serve for the set. Unfortunately, the Slovak diva in orange pink outfit failed to handle the onslaught of German beauty icon. Goerges did well to equalize the scores with
a serve hold. It was a timely comeback that saved a day for the German at least for few moments at that time. Both players held their serves to enforce the tie-breaker.
Hantuchova got an early mini-break but the German fifth seed got it back immediately in the next rally. The Slovak got another mini-break but lost two points on her serve that reversed the scenario. Goerges capitalized on the opportunity
and ended the encounter with a marvellous winner down the line. The Swiss star, Romina Oprandi, faces Julia Goerges in round two.
Tags: