Monica Puig triumphs over Aleksandra Krunic to enter title-round – Ankara Cup 2012
Puerto Rican star, Monica Puig, crippled the seventh seed, Aleksandra Krunic from Serbia, with a breadstick at the Ankara Cup 2012 on Friday. She penned down a 7-6(4), 6-1 victory against the Serb to power into the final showdown at this indoor hard court
tournament taking place from 17th to 23rd December in Ankara, Turkey.
The San Juan native displayed flawless tennis to outclass Krunic in their first battle against each other. After recording the fame in almost one and a half hour, Puig comfortably progressed into the final round at this ITF (International Tennis Federation)
Women’s Circuit event.
In the opening set, both tennis contestants displayed brilliant skills and abilities at the Ankara Tennis Club. Puig broke her rival’s serve early in the set and jumped to a 3-1 lead. Despite levelling the scores in the sixth game, the Puerto Rican remained
calm and dragged the set to a tie-breaker. She edged past the Serb in it and clinched the opener with a 7-6(4) score line. Puig failed to defend the only breakpoint she faced but cashed one out of two break chances to stay in contention.
Ranked 133rd in the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Premier Rankings, Puig carried her rhythm in the proceeding set. She availed a break opportunity in the opening game and took the initial lead. Apart from losing her edge in the very next game,
the Puerto Rican stayed focused and went on a five-game killing spree. She warded off three out of four breakpoints she came across and converted four out of six break opportunities to her advantage.
The 19-year-old Puerto Rican lost only a single set en route to the title round. She gifted away the opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Mervana Jugic-Salkic. However, Puig rebounded after that and ultimately clinched the match with a 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-1
victory. She then outfoxed Russia’s Yuliya Kalabina and Uzbekistan’s Akgul Amanmuradova in straight sets to reach this spot.
Up next for Puig is the Croatian qualifier, Aleksandra Savic, who stunned the fifth seed, Marta Sirotkina from Russia, in a three-set thriller to set up this meeting.
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