Maria Sharapova defeats Julia Goerges in 3rd round – Toray Pan Pacific Open 2011
Second seeded Maria Sharapova saw a bit of difficulty in getting rid of the thirteenth seeded Julia Goerges in the third round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open 2011. The two players had battled it out on the outdoor hard courts of
the Ariake Colosseum, Tokyo, Japan. After a lengthy two hours and four minutes the number two seeded Russian (Sharapova) was able to clog a 7-6(4), 7-6(4) victory on Wednesday the 28th of September.
Sharapova had won the service toss and decided to serve first. The two players were able to successfully place themselves on the scoreboard by winning on their respective serves in the first two games. However, during the third
game German Goerges was able to break Sharapova for the first time and edged away 3-1 lead by holding serve in the fourth game.
In the following two games Sharapova had managed to bring the score to even terms by breaking Goerges in the sixth game at 3-3. The game then moved on levelled terms first at 4-4 then at 5-5. The set was pushed to a tiebreaker
at 6-6 when the players again held serve in the last two games.
The strong front put up by the German continued well on into the tiebreaker and the players matched a blow for a blow. The two then battled a series of breaks and holds, displaying strong forehand and backhand swing and the duo
kept the scoreboard tied for the first six points. Capitalizing on a long crosscourt forehand from the thirteenth seeded German; the Russian reeled off three straight points to go up 6-3. Even though, Goerges reduced the shortfall to 4-6, she was unable to
overpower Sharapova and as the latter broke the German for the third time, she clinched a 7-4 victory.
Goerges opted to serve for the second set and the two broke each other in the first six games back-to-back to square off the score at 3-3. Goerges was able to hold serve in the seventh game and as the players again broke each other
in the eighth and ninth game, Sharapova held serve in the tenth and the score was tied at 5-5, eventually the score was pushed to a tiebreaker by the end of the twelfth game.
Coming into the tiebreaker, Sharapova rushed to an early 2-0 lead extending it to 3-1 moments later. Although Goerges fought back hard and managed to reel off three points while holding Sharapova to just one, levelling the score
at 4-4, it apparently took much out of the German. Unable to maintain her run, Goerges conceded the next two points to the Russian allowing her a 6-4 lead. Serving out the tiebreaker, Sharapova clinched a 7-4 victory to steal away the match.
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