Maria Sharapova outfoxes Petra Kvitova to reach the final - Australian Open 2012
Fourth seed, Maria Sharapova, battled past the world number two, Petra Kvitova, in a three-set mouth-watering match at the Australian Open 2012 on Thursday. She clobbered a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory over the Czech ace to secure a spot in the final round at this Grand Slam event held on the hard courts in the third and fourth week of January.
In the repeat of Wimbledon 2011 final, Sharapova recreated her 2008 magic to shock the second seed in an epic three set thriller in their fourth meeting. She not only levelled the head-to-head series by 2-2 against the Czech number one but also inched closer to the top rank at the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Premier Rankings once again. The Russian is also eying to bag $2.3 million prize money at this first of the four Grand Slam events.
The 2008 titlist, Sharapova, made quick in-roads as she capitalised on all three break opportunities and dominated throughout the set. She drew the first blood in the third game and regardless of levelling the scores at 2-2; the Russian wiped out the last four games consecutively to bag the opener in 36 minutes.
Czech number one hit back with a fitting reply in the following set. She earned the desiderated break in the second game and quickly went 3-0 up. The 21-year-old maintained consistency in his game and plucked in remaining serves, eventually pocketing the equaliser with a 6-3 win.
The Russian number one got back in action in the final set. Regardless of losing her serve in the third game, she snatched her break back in the very next game and tied the scores at 2-2. Later, she kept remaining serves through blistering forehands from her box of tricks and cashed in her second break opportunity in the last game to clinch the decider with in almost an hour.
"I felt like in the third she always had the advantage because I was always down on my serve," said the Russian after the match."And I just thought you have got to go for it."
Overall, the former world number one displayed exceptional skills and abilities throughout the match. She spilled fewer errors, clobbered a better first serve share and hammered 18 winners to prevail. The Russian was far more settled than her younger rival and ruled the baseline rallies.
Next up for Sharapova is the world number three, Victoria Azarenka, who overpowered the defending champion, Kim Clijsters, in troublesome three sets to set-up this epic encounter.
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