Vera Zvonareva achieves a child play victory over Kristina Kucova in the 2nd round – Baku Cup 2011
It was an easy victory for Russian Vera Zvonareva against her Slovakian rival Kristina Kucova as the pair met for their second round match at the 2011 Baku Cup in Azerbaijan on Thursday. Finishing the match in less than 42 minutes
and because of retirement of her opponent in the second set, Vera Zvonareva was able to qualify for the quarterfinal winning 6-0,3-0.
Both the players were familiar with each other’s skill and technique as they previously contested in 2010. Meeting for the first time in 2010 they took up the gauntlet at the Australian Open and duelled on hard outdoor courts in
the first round, Vera won the match gaining a lead in their head to head 1-0. The Celestial Power had made fate cross their paths again, this time it was for Kristina to avenge her loss.
Serving first with great resoluteness was Vera Zvonareva; she opened the score at 1-0 while smashing two aces. Her accuracy faltered once and she hit one double fault on the net. She remarkable first serves percentage which was
sixty one percent in the opening set along with a return serve that hit everything that came its way, she won an exceptional seventy eight percent of her total return points in the set. Her defence was like an ox that would not shake and hence committed no
break points instead managed to win seventy five percent of her break point advantages.
Winning almost three times the score of her opponent she won the set with a walloping seventy two percent win in her total set points. On the contrary her opponent (Kristina) hit no aces, her precession was shaky and she hit two
line faults, because of poor defence she ended up giving her rival three break point advantages along with a unsatisfactory performance in her serve and return serve she not only ended up giving Vera an edge but also lost the set 6-0.
The first set of the match was flawless victory for the Russian; she now had an upper hand and knew she could secure her victory in the match by winning this set as well. In the second set of the match one would’ve expected Kristina
to get back and take charge; however that was just a dream. During the second set of the match Vera was first to take off on the scorecard, breaking Kristina in the first three games to grab a 3-0 lead and challenged Vera briefly by holding a break point when
down 2-0 in the second set. Although the Slovak had shown no sign of struggling with her fitness she retired because of her left leg injury and gave the set as well as the match to her opponent Vera with 3-0 lead.
Summing it up; Kristina ran well in the rallies but made little headway against a more powerful and skilful opponent, she managed to salvage just 10 points in the first set and then eventually retired in the second and lost the
match. Despite her age, the Russian grabbed her chance of leading the head to head with a 2-0 lead.
The 26-year-old Vera Zvonareva qualified for the quarterfinal and now will be facing the Georgian Anna Tatishvili.
Tags: