Vania King defeats Rika Fujiwara in the 1st round – Mercury Open 2011
Playing each other for the first time, both players dulled it out on hard courts of the La Costa Resort and Spa. Vania King survived a mid match lapse to secure a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 victory over the Japanese Rika Fujiwara in first round
of the Mercury Open 2011 in Carlsbad, California.
The first set of the match was the most exciting and entertaining part as neither of the players served aces. However, Fujiwara did not lack precision struck zero double faults while King’s accuracy was wobbly and she struck only
one double fault hitting the net.
Although, Fujiwara has 75% of her first serve shots on target she was incapable of winning any points in her second serve and lost most of her points because she was unable to save any of her break points. Additionally, her defence
was very weak and she barely won 35% of her total return points.
While King was a better player than Fujiwara; she not only had a powerful serve but also had a very strong defence which did not falter (winning 65% of her total serve points along with a grand 81% in her total return points).
She re-bounded all her opponent’s shots directing then towards her adversary. She won the set with 16 points more than her challenger and was capable of breaking her opponent twice.
Worn out from the first set, Fujiwara still managed to make a comeback, served no aces, had 3 double faults out of which 2 hit the net and one was a line fault, she managed to save 40% of her breakpoints and won four out of the
eight breakpoint opportunities and was able to achieve 44% of the total set serve points. The Japanese then went on to win 58% of her total return points. Hence, she achieved fifty one percent points; winning the second set and making the set score card to
1-1.
Frustrated from the second set, the American, King in the third set completely regained control over her game; she was only able to clench 76% in the first serve points along with a commendable performance in the second return
serve in which she achieved 50% points. Not being able to save the only break point she but instead, capitalized on 2 break points she bagged the set with a total of fifty four percent win of total service set points along with an average 44% win in the total
return points.
Mean while, Fujiwara was able to avail the only breakpoint opportunity to her advantage and had great precision over her serve. Although, she was only capable of saving 2 break points, she was able to win a hundred percent of her
break points along with 56% of her total service points. Her total return points were a meagre 34%, therefore, attaining a mere 46% of total set points and hence, lost the set with only 6 fewer points than her adversary.
Despite Fujiwara’s age she tried her utmost, performing to her best of capabilities, however, Vania King was a skilled and agile opponent. Therefore, she was dominant for the first and last set of the match.
The 22-year old Vania King qualified into the second round of the Mercury Open 2011.
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