Kaia Kanepi trounces Kiki Bertens to enter semis – KDB Korea Open 2012
Seeded third in this event, Kaia Kanepi from Estonia got the better of the Dutch contender, Kiki Bertens, in straight sets at the KDB Korea Open Tennis Championship 2012 on Friday. She formulated a 6-4, 6-4 success against the world number 63 to cruise into
the final four at this outdoor hard court event taking place in Seoul, South Korea.
The Estonian number one showed superb tennis to outshine Bertens in their first encounter. After earning the glory in one hour and 21 minutes, Kanepi not only edged in the head-to-head series by 1-0 against the 20-year-old but also booked a spot in the semi-finals
at this WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) International event.
Kanepi stormed into the Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center. She smoothly held her opening serve and took the initial lead. After hitting massive forehands from her box of tricks, the Estonian swiped her following serves until she drew the first blood in the
sixth game and took a 4-2 lead. Apart from losing her edge in the very next game, the Estonian held her composure and got the breakthrough in the last game. She dusted away one out of two breakpoints she faced and cashed in two out of five break chances to
formulate a 6-4 success.
Standing at number 16 at the WTA Premier Rankings, Kanepi lost her track towards the proceeding set. She gifted away her serve in the opening game and went 0-2 down. After trailing at 2-4, the Estonia re-focused her strategy and got back in action. She reeled
off four games in a row and clinched the set with a 6-4 score line. Kanepi amazingly brushed off three out of four breakpoints she faced and converted two out of four break opportunities to her advantage.
Up next for Kanepi is the sixth seed, Varvara Lepchenko from United States. The American seed bounced back to formulate a 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 victory against Austria’s Tamira Paszek.
The top seed, Caroline Wozniacki, also earned the glory later that day. She was broken twice but she capitalised on five out of eight break chances to manipulate a 6-2, 6-3 success against Czech Republic’s Klara Zakopalova.
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