Urszula Radwanska edges past Irina Falconi to reach the final – AEGON Trophy 2012 CH
A world class battle between the 21-year-old Pole, Urszula Radwanska and the 22-year-old American, Irina Falconi, was witnessed in the semi-final of the AEGON Trophy tournament on Saturday. An enthralling three-setter was finally
bagged by the 79th rank Pole who clubbed the victory with final scores of 6-4, 2-6, 7-5.
The match started with an exchange of breakthroughs that was followed up with thumping serve holds. Another trade of breakpoints kept the scores together at 3-3. Both players held their serves in the following three games but the
American couldn’t absorb the pressure in the 10th game of the set and lost the most critical breakpoint that gifted the set lead to the Pole.
The second set was totally one-sided and was dominated throughout by the 112th ranked American. She took the break in the third game and struck another classy winner in the seventh game to clasp a mammoth lead of 5-2.
She successfully held her serve in the final game; dropping just two points.
It was good to see a fight back from the American who had been shadowed under the supreme dominance of the Pole in the first part of the match. However, the response was terrific and the crowd was eager to witness a thrilling final
set battle at the grass courts of Nottingham.
The momentum kept Falconi in a better position as she started the set with a thunderous breakthrough; winning all four points on Radwanska’s serve. The Pole was under a lot of pressure but she kept her calm and broke serve back
in the sixth game to level the scores. The swap of breakthroughs further pushed the scores to 4-4.
Match entered its dyeing stages with everything tied. Serve holds at both ends kept the scores together at 5-5 and the tie-breaker round was expected to be the final decider. However, the Pole held her serve in the tense situation
to 40:15 and took the first point in the following game to exert pressure on her rival.
Radwanska earned a breakpoint opportunity and didn’t waste it; won the match and booked a spot in the final against the American qualifier, Coco Vandeweghe, who stunned the Briton tennis professional, Anne Keothavong, earlier in
the day. It is expected to be a thrilling finish to the challenger tournament on Sunday. Radwanska stays the favourite to take the title but she will have to put an end to the series of upsets registered by the American.
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