Shuai Zhang upsets Jelena Dokic to secure spot in the second round – Citi Open 2011
Shuai Zhang of China made it into the second round of the tournament when she moved on ahead at the 2011 Citi Open in Washington here today, after upsetting fourth seeded Australian, Jelena Dokic, in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.
Meeting the Australian for the first time, Chinese not only enjoyed a lop-sided victory over the Australian but she did it with ease. The 22-year-old Chinese was rarely stretched as she went one up against Dokic in their head-to-head
record. If there was any cause for concern it was only that she could not convert twelve of her sixteen break points, indicating that she would need to be more ruthless in the next round, in which she is due to play the American, Irina Falconi.
Dictating the match from the beginning, the hard-hitting Chinese registered an impressive 71 per cent winning percentage on service as opposed to Dokic’s meager 65 per cent in total. Breaking Dokic’s service once early in the game,
the Chinese led the score 3-1. Although Dokic managed to fight back and win a total of three games, it was Zhang who eventually won the set 6-3.
The second set followed somewhat similar pattern even though the Australian put up some resistance. Hitting nine double faults as opposed to Zhang’s zero, Dokic tried her level best to take back the game. However, the Chinese was
quick to wrap up her straight sets victory. Suffering a loss of only 13 of 27 points on service, Zhang clinched the decider with six games to Dokic’s four.
It took the Chinese almost ninety five minutes to finally win over the Australian. Her notable 86 percent saving percentage on break points was enough to cater for Dokic’s resounding total of six aces. Zhang successfully saved
twelve of fourteen break opportunities throughout the game to make her way into the second round where she will meet Irina Falconi of America, longing for a spot in the quarterfinals here at College park, Washington DC.
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