Kirilenko/ Petrova rush past Sanchez/ Garrigues into quarterfinal – US Open 2011
The third round of the US Open 2011 saw a clash between the Russian pair Maria Kirilenko with Nadia Petrova against the Spanish bulls Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez along with Anabel Medina Garrigues. The two teams were seeded in
the top 15; Sanchez/ Garrigues were seeded at 12 while, the Russian pair was seeded at number five.
Contesting on hard courts of USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center the two runner-ups (Kirilenko at the 2011 Australian Open doubles and Petrova at the 2010 US Open doubles) made a strong mixture that held back the Spanish
bulls with a straight set victory of 6-2, 6-3 in just 88 minutes.
Opening the first set was the Spanish couple and opened the score board at 1-0. In the first three games both the teams won on their serves and in t he fourth game the score was levelled at 4-4. However, the number 2 seeded team
was first to break the Spaniards and by holding their serve in the sixth game moved ahead with a 5-2 lead. In the seventh game again the Russian babushka dolls broke the Spanish couple and at such a crucial point in the set they went on to holding their serve
to ultimately win bag the set at 6-2.
Although, the Spanish couple had a geometric precision and struck zero double faults, they were unable to capitalize on their break points due which they lost many opportunities of winning the set. As the babushka dolls powered
through the first set in just 30 minutes, they set the tone for the second.
During the second set Sanchez/ Garrigues were again serving first and opened the score board at 1-0 and in the next six games both players won on alternate serves to equalize the score at 3-3. However, in the seventh game the Russians
were again to break first and by holding their serve in the eighth took the lead at 5-3. Not wasting time and wanting to completely crush the Spanish bulls, the Russian pair broke their service and were ultimately able to restrict them to only three games
in the set.
Second set was not an easy victory for the Russian pair as this time they had to ward off beautiful drop shots and volleys played by the Spanish team. Kirilenko/ Petrova had a tuneful sync and by smashing 16 winners in the second
set, they won the match with seven more points than the Spaniards.
The two runner ups were able to secure a berth in the quarterfinal round where they will play Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik.
Tags: