Monica Puig topples Yuliya Kalabina to enter quarters – Ankara Cup 2012
Puerto Rican starlet, Monica Puig, stomped over the Russian qualifier, Yuliya Kalabina, in straight sets at the Ankara Cup 2012 on Wednesday. She notched up a 6-3, 6-2 victory against the 22-year-old to power into the quarter-finals at this ITF (International
Tennis Federation) Women’s Circuit event held in Ankara, Turkey.
Seeded second in this event, Puig unleashed her true colours after entering this indoor hard court tournament. She required almost one hour and 15 minutes taking down her rival in their first encounter and securing a place in the final eight.
Puig made a powerful entry at the Ankara Tennis Club. She drew the first blood in the second game and cruised to a 3-0 lead. The Puerto Rican then maintained consistency in her game and swiped her remaining serves, eventually sealing the opener by winning
six games to three. She was never threatened with any barrier and cashed the lone break chance to inch closer towards her goal.
Ranked 133rd in the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Premier Rankings, Puig kept her momentum rolling in the following set. She suffered the first blow in the opening game but quickly recovered in the very next game. After Kalabina held her serve
in the fourth game, the Puerto Rican went on a four-game rampage and clinched the set with a 6-2 score line. She brushed off three out of four breakpoints she came across and converted both break opportunities to her advantage.
On the whole, Puig showed exceptional skills throughout the battle. She spilled fewer double faults and hammered more winners.
Next in queue for Puig is the Uzbekistani contender, Akgul Amanmuradova, who bounced back to formulate a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 score line. She moved up a gear after gifting away the opening set and ultimately clicked in almost two and half hours.
The top seed, Mandy Minella, will join Puig in the last eight. She battled past the Romanian challenger, Cristina-Andreea Mitu, in a three-set nail-biter to progress at this event. She lost her path towards the second set but remained focused and eventually
carved out the victory with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 score line.
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