Sesil Karatantcheva overpowers at Kiki Bertens in the qualifiers – Abierto Mexicano Telcel 2012
Fifth seeded qualifier, Sesil Karatantcheva of Kazakhstan, needed three sets to outgun the Dutch starlet, Kiki Bertens, in a three set mouth-watering match at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel 2012 on Sunday. She manipulated a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) victory over the world number 172 to advance into the final qualifying round at this WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) International event held in Acapulco, Mexico.
The former world number 35, Karatantcheva, lost her track in the second set but re-gained her strength in the final set tie-breaker to pull out the victory in two hours and 35-minutes. Facing each other for the first time, the Kazakh inched closer for a shot at the main draw of this $220,000 WTA event.
Currently ranked 130th in the WTA Premier Rankings, Karatantcheva made quick in-roads and went on a four games killing spree. In spite of losing her edge by gifting away her serves twice, the Kazakh capitalised on another break opportunity in the eighth game and then held her serve again to bag the opener by winning six games to three.
The 20-year-old re-focused in the following set and after earning the coveted break early, she took a 2-0 lead. Apart from losing her edge in the very next game, she held her composure and got the breakthrough in the eighth game, eventually clinching the equaliser with a 6-3 score line.
The match could have gone in either direction at that point but the fifth seeded contender re-ignited her spark. Karatantcheva earned the critical break in the fourth game and cruised to a 3-1 lead. However, she lost her serve in the proceeding game and exchanged serve breaks twice, subsequently enforcing a tie-breaker. The Kazakh prevailed in it and pulled out the decider with a 7-6(5) win.
All in all, the seed ruled throughout the match. She spilled 12 double faults but manipulated a better first serve share of 70 percent as compared to Bertens’ 57 percent. The Kazakh defended only three out of 10 breakpoints she encountered but cashed in seven out of 20 break chances to conquer the Dutch rising star.
Next in line for Karatantcheva is the Portuguese starlet, Maria Joao Koehler, who hit back at the local wild card entrant, Marcela Zacarias, in three sets to book this spot. The Portuguese coughed more errors but converted seven out of 16 break opportunities to her advantage, consequently registering a 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-2 success.
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