Niculescu/ Voskoboeva defeat Farhad/ Abduraimova in the quarterfinal – Baku Cup 2011
July 21st 2011 saw the start of the women’s doubles quarterfinal. The two teams meeting for the first time against each other were Monica Niculescu along with Galina Voskoboeva playing the tandem of Nigina Abduraimova
and Kamilla Farhad at the Baku Tennis Academy, Baku Azerbaijan. Niculescu/Voskoboeva won the match 6-2, 6-4 in under sixty six minutes.
Comparatively Niculescu and Voskoboeva were the favoured team as compared to Farhad and Abduraimova because their current ranking together comes in the top 163. They came through to the quarterfinal by defeating team mates T. Mikadze
and S. Shapatava in the first round of the Baku Cup 2011 6-3,6-2.
Niculescu/Voskoboeva won the toss and opened the set by smashing an ace. They had extreme precession and struck zero double faults. Together they had a strong defence and did not give any break point advantage to their opponents.
Niculescu/Voskoboeva served brilliantly and won seventy one percent of the first serves in the opening set along with an average return serve winning forty six percent of total return points. They availed every opportunity they got and won fifty percent of
their break point opportunities. While their opponents Farhad/ Abduraimova; were not able to smash an ace and had one line fault.
Both the players had a pathetic return serve although, their serve was far better than their return game, they only managed to win six percent of their total return points in the set. They were not able to save two of their break
points and won none. When all was said and done, Niculescu/Voskoboeva won the set because of their strong defence, superb service along with return serve. Together they proved to be an exceptional couple and took the lead of 1-0.
After taking a beating in the second serve Farhad/ Abduraimova had learnt their lesson and although, they performed way better in this set as compared to their first they still lost the set. Serving first this time were Farhad/
Abduraimova, they opened the second set first game 1-0 by smashing an ace. They showed a major improvement in their accuracy and struck no double faults. Although their serves had improved they were still lacking in their return game along with winning no
break points it eventually cost them the set. On the contrary, their opponents did not play effortlessly as they did prior to this set, they still managed to win the set because Niculescu/Voskoboeva not only won fifty percent of their break points but also
secured the only break point advantage they committed.
Concluding, Niculescu and Voskoboeva were better players than their opponents and because of their strong defence, quick speed, style and technique won the match with almost flawless victory.
Niculescu/Voskoboeva will now be facing D. Dominikovic/N. Lertcheewakarn in the semi finals of the Baku Cup 2011.
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