Sloane Stephens defeats Tamira Paszek in the 3rd round – Mercury Insurance Open 2011
Kicking off on the 4th of August, 2011 was the third round of the Mercury Insurance Open 2011. The two players; Sloane Stephens from USA and Tamira Paszek from Austria were contesting against each other on the hard courts
of the La Costa Resort and Spa, Carlsbad, California. The American (Stephens) was about to win the first set when the Austrian (Paszek) threw in the towel at 5-4 and let her opponent sail through to the quarter final.
The first set of the match saw; Stephens smash an ace and both the players had sixty four percent of their firsts serve on targets. While, Paszek won the pitch and with a powerful serve smashed an ace, however, in the next few
minutes her accuracy failed her and she committed a double fault hitting the net.
The 20-year-old (Paszek) was not able to rebound most of her opponent’s shots and barely attained a thirty nine percent in the total return points. Although, her serve was above average but because of only attaining ten out of
twenty one in her first serve she lost most of her points and bagged a fifty two percent win in her total service points.
Mean while, the American had attained a sixty one percent and a sixty percent win in her first and second service points respectively, therefore, she was able to bank a commendable sixty one percent of her total service points
during the set.
Even though the 18-year -old (Stephens) bagged sixteen out of thirty three, winning a forty eight percent of her total returns, she could’ve achieved a few more points if she hadn’t lost control of her return serve in the second
return.
The Austrain’s defence had stumbled numerous times and she failed to achieve sixty seven percent of her break points, even though she saved fifty percent of her break points on her serve. Whereas, Stephens was able to save sixty
seven percent of her break points on her serve she failed to achieve another fifty percent of her break points that she faced.
The set was a close shave between both the players, during the first five games and the score card read as 5-4 however, the Austrian Tamira paszek surrendered the set because of an unbearable abdominal pain and could not continue
to play any further. Thus, she gave the match to her opponent who won the match 5-4.
The 18-year-old Stephens, who is now in her first WTA quarterfinal said, "I was just telling my mom a few weeks ago I never get any retirements, that I was so annoyed! I know that sounds awful, but there are some players who get
them almost every single tournament! I hope she'll get better soon"
Born on the 20th of March 1993, the 20-year-old Sloane Stephens qualified into quarter-final of the Mercury insurance Open 2011 where she will be playing against the German Andrea Petkovic.
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