Mathilde Johansson edges Saisai Zheng in the second round - Guangzhou Int’l Women's Open 2012
In an epic three-setter, the 88th ranked Frenchwoman Mathilde Johansson outclassed the 149th ranked Chinese teenager Saisai Zheng to reach the quarter-final of the GRC Bank Guangzhou International Women's
Open on Wednesday. The 27-year-old French won the opening set 6-2 but failed to retain the momentum in the second phase of the match; losing it 4-6. However, a thrilling final set battle ended in favour of Johansson with the scores of 7-5 that confirmed her
place in the final eight.
A gruelling battle lasted for two hours and 54 minutes and left both competitors completely exhausted. Spectators in the arena gave standing ovation to the 18-year-old Chinese professional who showed immense fight back to keep
the match alive in the second set and continued to resist until the last point of the final set. The local crowd was ecstatic to witness such a fighting spirit from the young upcoming star.
Zheng just won a single point on her serve in the first game of the match. She was hammered down for the second straight serve game and the Frenchwoman took a resounding lead of 3-0. A trade of breakthroughs did no damage to the
27-year-old French who built upon the stupendous lead and made it 5-1 in her favour. A serve hold at both ends ended the first set in favour of Johansson.
A double breakthrough at both sides of the court witnessed an unconventional start to the second set. However, there was no drama witnessed as both the players managed to keep the scores together at 2-2. Zheng registered the first
serve hold of the set in the fifth game and coupled it with a breakpoint but just to see her opponent winning the following game. Scores were tied at 4-4.
The Chinese restarted her mission and held her serve. She had faith in her game and that yielded the crucial breakpoint of the set that enforced the deciding battle into play. Zheng lost the opening game of the final set and a
swap of breakpoints in the middle didn’t help her cause. However, she fought back in the 10th game to keep the set alive but couldn’t hold serve that reinstated the lead of her opponent.
Johansson won the battle with a serve hold and booked a date with Su-Wei Hsieh in the quarters.
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