Vera Zvonareva battles past Klara Zakopalova into the third round – China Open 2011
Russian number two and third seed here Vera Zvonareva moved into the third round of the 2011 China Open after surviving a mid lapse against Czech Klara Zakopalova at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, China on Tuesday, 4th
October.
The pair locked horns for two hours and twelve minutes before the Russian moved on ahead with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory over the unseeded Czech.
Playing each other for the first time, Zvonareva opened serve and comfortably put herself on the scoreboard. Going a step further, the Russian broke the Czech in the second game to lead 2-0. However, the Czech wasn’t going to go
down without trying. Breaking back in the fourth game, she brought the score to even terms. Holding serve in the fifth, Zvonareva once more converted a breakpoint opportunity to her advantage to clinch a 4-2 lead. Winning on their serves from there on, Zvonareva
served out the set losing only one point in the ninth game clinching a 6-3 win for herself.
Saving six of seven breakpoints, Zvonareva rode a single advantageous opportunity as she hit two aces and four double faults to go one up in the set score.
The second set started on a high note for the Russian. Securing an early break opportunity, Zvonareva led the set score 2-1, only to be broken by the Czech to bring the score to two games each. From there on the scoreboard ticked
on even terms. Standing at 3-3, Zakopalova reeled off two games to serve out the set at 5-3. However, the Czech’s win was delayed as the pair exchanged two breakpoints between themselves with the Czech closing out the set with a 6-4 win.
With a set win apiece, the match entered the decider. Staying true to her billing as a top seeded player, Zvonareva started off the third set with a break as she led the score 2-0. Another successful break and hold later, Zvonareva
extended her lead to 4-0. Successful holds of serve later, the Russian still held a four game lead as she registered 5-1 on the scoreboard. Standing on 5-2, Zvonareva successfully served out the set to a 6-2 win, ensuring her survival at the event.
Zvonareva moves on ahead to play the former world number one, Ana Ivanovic from Serbia in the third round of the event.
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