Ling Zhang battles past Elizabeth Lumpkin to make it to the quarters – Challenger of Granby 2011 CH
Seeded as number four in the tournament, Ling Zhang of Hong Kong, strained past the American qualifier, Elizabeth Lumpkin, in the opening round of the National Bank’s Challenger of Granby on Wednesday.
The contest was played on the hard courts of Granby, Canada, with the fourth seeded Zhang winning after a lengthy struggle to settle the final scores at 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-1, to advance to the second round of the ITF (International
Tennis Federation) tournament. The American hung in the contest for two hours and five minutes before he finally surrendered in the third set to bestow a hard-fought victory to the fourth seed competitor.
The enthralling three-setter featured some quality tennis from the both opponents, who toiled extremely hard to come on top of the game. The action-packed opener witnessed intense tennis from the two players, changing a number
of serve breaks and assertive winners to prove their supremacy over one another.
Zhang drew the first blood in the second game by breaking the American serve, followed by a series of serve breaks from both sides. Elizabeth bounced back hard at the fourth seed competitor and stung two successive break points
to get in to 4-3 lead, only to be broken by Zhang in the very next game to level the scores once again. A further trade of one break point each levelled the scores at 6-6 to call in a tie breaker round.
The American suddenly lost her game in the decider and clinched merely three points to let Zhang take away the opener at 7-6(3). Lumpkin turned the tide in the next set and came out firing at her opponent by delivering 81 per cent
first serve on target and quickly striking two consecutive serve breaks to lead 4-0. Zhang stood up to the task and replied with two straight break points to fritter away the American’s advantage in the game. However, a third and most crucial serve break sealed
the second set to Lumpkin’s name at 6-4, levelling the contest at one set a piece.
The final set was expected to be a nail biter but it turned out to be an all-Zhang show, who forced her way to victory with two vital serve breaks. The fourth seed wrapped up the third set at 6-1 to move in to the second round
of the National Bank’s Challenger of Granby.
Zhang will square off against unseeded Canadian, Eugenie Bouchard, in the second round of the tournament for a place in the quarter-finals.
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