Kichenok sisters flabbergast Birnerova/ Dolonts in quarterfinal – Tashkent Open 2011
The first two teams to contest in the quarter final of the Tashkent Open 2011 on Thursday the 15th of September 2011 were; Ukrainian duo of Lyudmyla Kichenok with Nadiya Kichenok against Greek Eva Birnerova with Russian
Vesna Dolonts. After battling it out on hard courts of Olympic School Tennis Courts, the Ukrainian pair jumped back from a set down to secure a 1-6, 6-2 10-7 victory in 69 minutes.
Subsequently after winning the toss, the Ukrainian twosome opted to serve first but it turned out to be a bad decision as they lost the first game and bruised their confidence. However, they were not taken a back and did not want
Birnerova/ Dolonts to take the lead and pounced at the first opportunity to break back-to-back in the second game to even the score at 1-1.
Birnerova/ Dolonts were extremely determined to win the opening set and in the third game broke the Ukrainian pair. By holding their serve in the fourth game Greek/ Russian pair took a mini lead of 3-1. In the following three games
Birnerova/ Dolonts broke the Ukrainian couple twice and eventually won the opening set with a 6-1 victory.
Opening the second set was Birnerova/ Dolonts, and the two teams constantly won on their serves in first four games to round off the score at 2-2. In the fifth game Birnerova/ Dolonts came under pressure and double faulted and
bequest the Ukrainian brass with a game. As the Ukrainian duo held their serve in the Sixth game, they secured a lead of 4-2. During the last two games, the Ukrainian couple broke the Greek and Russian pair and by holding their serve, won the set.
After taking a beating in the first game, the Ukrainians made a comeback in the second and by the end of the second set the two squads had bagged a set apiece.
Greek and Russian couple were opening first for the super tie breaker. The pair continued their toe to toe leg well into the tie breaker. With a powerhouse of dominant serves and first-rate returns the two teams forced the scoreboard
to move on levelled terms well up to seven points.
However, a fortunate break for the Ukrainian muscle at 8-7 put them in a 9-7 lead. As they held their serve for the last time, the Ukrainians confidently served out the set at 10-7. A double fault from the Greek/ Russian pair,
the Ukrainians were able to clinch the tiebreaker at a 10-7 win, fastening their victory.
The Ukrainians won the match and were able to reserve a spot in the semi final where they will be facing Urszula Radwanska with Evgeniya Rodina.
Tags: