Vera Zvonareva ends Daniela Hantuchova’s run; wins the QF – Western & Southern Open 2011
Playing each other for the 8th time, Vera Zvonareva, Russian, once again came up victorious against former world No.5, Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia in the quarter-final match of the Cincinnati Open 2011.
Playing at the Lindner Family Tennis Center hard court, Ohio, USA, Zvonareva took over the quarter-final winning in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(6).
Zvonareva, currently ranked as world No.2, has been performing at her best as she enjoys the her career best ranking ever. The 26-year-old reached her current ranking as she made it to the finals of the Mercury Insurance Open earlier this year, however, lost to the 3rd seed, Agnieszka Radwanska in the final.
The Russian has made considerable improvement regarding her stamina. Although aged 26, Zvonareva still stands tall and strong at world No.2
Hantuchova, on the other hand, has struggled to improve recently. Out of the last 10 matches, the Slovakian had won only 6. However, she did give shocker to the 8th seed, Marion Bartoli, beating her in the 3rd round 2-1.
Although both players had a good eye of the hard court circuit at Mason, Ohio, Zvonareva was much likely to win as she had a better statistical figure.
The world No.23, Hantuchova served first to open the first set. Blistered by the lightening returners, Hantuchova gave away the first game, 0-1. The Russian stormed in again to take away game 2 as well.
Hantuchova finally won her first game of the match to cut the lead to 2-1 after game 3. The scores moved up until game 9 when the Slovakian blundered again and gave away a breakpoint. Winning the set point, Zvonareva cleared the first set 6-3 and onto the next set.
Trampled by the strong Russian world No.2, Hantuchova retaliated in the second set winning a breakpoint of Zvonareva’s serve in game 1, however, the two levelled up as the Russian broke the World No.23 in the following game, 1-1.
Extending her lead to 2-1 Zvonareva now stood to play the Slovakian once again. The next four games came with back-to-back breakpoints for the two rivals. The scores levelled up at 4-4 as Hantuchova served to win herself game 8.
Wining on respective serves, the set eventually tied up in a tiebreak match. Hantuchova, however, could not take any chances and gave in her best to pull off with the tiebreak but could not do so. The world No.2 mashed the tiebreak winning the set 7-6(6) and the match 6-3, 7-6(6) to walk on to the next round.
Zvonareva will now face the former world No. 1, Maria Sharapova, to battle it out for the final round stand.
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