Kirsten Flipkens edges past Mirjana Lucic into the last eight – Bell Challenge 2012
In a second round match between two unseeded players, Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens fought back after losing the opener to dismiss Mirjana Lucic of Croatia in three sets 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the last-eight stage of Bell
Challenge in Quebec City, Canada.
The contest was begun in a steady manner by both players, as none of the two managed to break in the first eight games, taking the proceedings to 4-4. Lucic hit a blow to the Belgian in the ninth to attain a 5-4 lead but she could
not seal it at that moment, losing her following serve to square it off at 5-5. The subsequent two games were held by the two players, taking the score to 6-6 and forcing a tie-breaker. However, Lucic bulldozed her opponent after that, allowing her to claim
just two points and winning it 7-6(2).
Lucic succeeded in winning the first set, despite the fact that she was unable to serve well. The Croatian did not hit any ace and made three double faults, keeping her first delivery percentage at just 46. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old
managed to win 17 of the 21 points on them.
After losing the opening set with the closest of margins, Flipkens was the player with better start in the second one, breaking Lucic in the opening game and holding her next serve to take a 2-0 lead. The Belgian struck again in
the fifth but could not consolidate on it, taking the score to 4-2. However, Lucic could not hold her serve in the seventh and also lost the next game to go down 2-6.
Flipkens pounded five aces on her opponent but her first serve percentage was quite low at 48. The Belgian inflicted most of the damage on Lucic with the help of her first deliveries and second replies, securing nine of the 11
and 10 of the 12 points on them in the second set.
Start of final set was not different from the previous one, as Flipkens stung a break in the first game and consolidated on it to grab a 2-0 advantage. Lucic clawed her way back to equalise the proceedings at 4-4 but she dropped
the following two, going down 4-6.
Flipkens required two hours and 13 minutes to clinch this hard fought win over her Croatian rival.
The Belgian participant will face Anna Tatishvili of Georgia for a place in the last four.
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