Karolina Pliskova edges past Tamaryn Hendler in the first qualifier - Family Circle Cup 2012
Czech booming starlet, Karolina Pliskova, sneaked a win in a taxing three-setter first qualifying round battle of the Family Circle Cup against the Belgian teen contestant, Tamaryn Hendler. The battle lasted two hours and 13 minutes
before the 20-years-old Czech gobbled up the win 6-1, 6(5)-7, 6-3.
Pliskova opened the match proceedings with a serve hold and exerted pressure on her opponent that ended up in a breakthrough for her in the fourth game. The set was running away from the Belgian who failed to put her rival to any
test.
The Belgian lost another breakpoint to the Czech and went down 1-5 in the opening set. World number 122 made no mistake in ousting her opponent in the final game; dropping just a couple of points. She won the set with a mammoth
difference of 12 points; grabbing 32 out of 50 points played.
Hendler commenced the second set with a serve hold that eased a lot pressure of her. Both players kept the scoreboard ticking over. The Belgian started to take hold of the proceedings slowly; created a couple of opportunities to
break serve but failed to convert them in her favour.
Both players had smashed three aces apiece before the tie-breaker round was put into the play. Pliskova was on the verge of winning the match before Hendler snatched the win under her nose and enforced the third set.
A cautious beginning of the third set was soon turned over when the Czech contestant broke serve in the fourth game to take a lead of 3-1. She consolidated it with a comprehensive serve hold. The Belgian was not able to win a break
back and keep the set alive. She lost the match but provided huge entertainment for the crowd.
This event is played in Charleston, USA and attracts a lot of viewership every year, from all across the globe every year. Karolina Pliskova will take on the Portuguese contender, Michelle Larcher de Brito. It is expected to be
a similar battle between the two players and the winner will book a berth in the main round of the tournament.
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