Nadia Petrova defeats Christina McHale in 3rdround – Western & Southern Open 2011
Kicking off with the 3rd round match of the Cincinnati Open 2011, Christina McHale, American, took on to challenge the Russian world No.27, Nadia Petrova on Thursday, 18th August as the two battled it out
at the Premier 5 event fixture at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Playing against each other, for the third time in history, the American teenager lost her 2nd consecutive match against Petrova. Considering the two as pure hard court player, the 29-year-old Russian had to use her experience
as an advantage.
Comparatively, Petrova already had the greater edge as she had been winning most of her previous matches. Winning the Citi Open earlier this year, the Russian has a 9 games win record out of the last 10. Formerly ranked as world
No.3, the right-hander played a super knock to grow over her competitor in the 3rd round.
On the contrary, the 19-year-old American still had a lot to lead as she played one of the best players in recent history. Ranked as world No.76, the teenager is seemingly dropping off in ranking although she has been playing at
home for some time. However, the American was yet appreciated.
Opening up the 3rd rounder, McHale served first, however, could not hold on to his serve and lost a breakpoint. Serving next, the Russian extender her lead to 2-0 winning game 2. The teenager finally broke the silence
and won herself a game to cut off the lead to 1-2, however, Petrova blistered another game to maintain the 2 games lead until the final game of the set.
Serving for game 9, McHale lost a breakpoint to the Russian and went on losing the first set 6-3. Serving 4 aces in the set, Petrova totalled 31 points together with 16 service points and 15 returns.
Kicking of set 2, the Russian served first, however, took the lead saving a break point, 1-0. She then broke the young American in the game 2 to lead 2-0 in the set.
Petrova maintained her 2 games lead until game 7 when she lost the first breakpoint of the match and was left with just 1 game lead, 4-3. However, the 29-year-old revenged winning a breakpoint in game 8 to lead 5-3.
Finally, winning game 9 of the match, Petrova raised her hands as she won the set 6-3 and the match 6-3, 6-3 to sit in the quarter-final of the Cincinnati Open 2011.
Petrova will now face the German, Andre Petkovic, to play for the semis seat. The match will be played on Friday, 19th August.
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