Samantha Stosur bows to Jelena Jankovic in quarter-final – Dubai Championships 2012
In the rematch of the last year quarter-final battle of the Dubai Duty Free Championships between the Aussie superstar, Samantha Stosur and the Serb, Jelena Jankovic; it was the eighth seed Jankovic who again won the match in straight sets 6-4, 6-2. She
took an hour and 29 minutes to crush the fourth seed Aussie and registered an upset.
Former World Number one, Jankovic leads the head-to-head tally 5-2 with this triumph. A sizeable crowd was witnessed at the arena. They had a mediocre level match at their disposal with both players not opening up to play their natural game.
Stosur started the match and serve holds were witnessed at either ends until the sixth game of the set. Last two serve holds were pretty difficult for both players. They were under the cosh from their counterpart. First it was Jankovic who pressurised the
Aussie with a classic control on her forehand cross-court returns then Stosur turned the tables on the Serb; forcing her to play deep from the baseline.
Jankovic kept the pressure on in the following serve game of the Aussie and won the breakthrough sparing just two points. Jankovic continued to capitalise on her serve and registered a successful hold with scores ticking over 5-3. Stosur struggled to win
any point her opponent’s serve and Jankovic registered an opening set lead.
The second set was much more open with both players reverting to their natural stroke making. It brought some flare for the crowd. Three successive breakpoints were witnessed after the successful holds at each end. Stosur was once again trailing with a break
down and scores progressed 4-2.
Jankovic sighted an opportunity to gobble up another breakpoint and she wasted little time in doing so. With a successful hold in the following game, the Serb registered a cracking triumph over the Aussie superstar.
In a post-match interview, Stosur proclaimed, “She served quite well. I felt like I was getting pushed back. I probably didn't do enough to change things the way I needed to, to try and get through this match. I didn't feel as good out there, I felt a bit
flat. But you can't really use it as an excuse, because you're out there to play and do your best on the day."
Jankovic is up against the World Number six, Agnieszka Radwanska, in the semi-final that will be contested on Friday.
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