Vera Zvonareva outwits Ana Ivanovic; advances into final – Mercury Insurance Open 2011
On Saturday night Vera Zvonareva of Russia and fifth seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia met for the 9th time at the La Costa Resort and Spa, Carlsbad, California. The number one seeded Zvonareva registered a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win over her old-fangled rival in the semi final of the Mercury Insurance Open 2011.
The world number 3 Zvonareva threw no aces but her accuracy failed and she committed 2 line faults whereas, her opponent was able to smash an ace but she too failed to keep her precision and committed 1 double fault.
Ivanovic’s powerful strokes won her 23 out of 35 service points, making it a laudable 66% win against Zvonareva who was under pressure with her serve but still managed to win a 56% in the total service points of the first set.
The 23-year old (Ivanovic) had a strong back hand which enabled her to win an average 44% of her total return points against the Russian, who was capable of winning only 34%, which were 10% fewer than her opponent's.
Amidst the first set, the Serb saved 50% of her break points, along with, winning 2 of the 5 break points she faced. Whereas, Zvonareva’s defence was sturdy and she saved 60% of her break points along with, capitalising on 50% of her opponent’s break points.
Zvonareva played appallingly against Ivanovic in the first set, she served at 5-4 but failed the first time and had problems aplenty the second time. The number 1 seeded Zvonareva lost with 7 points fewer than her Serbian opponent in the first set.
Following her loss in the first set, the world number 3 (Zvonareva) made a return in the second and even though, she did not perfect her accuracy she struck on less double fault than her previous set. This time she displayed her strong ground strokes to win 62% of her total service points along with winning 35% of her total return points, thus, attaining a total 50% win to overcome her 23-year-old (Ivanovic) opponent.
The Russian defence was not as shaky as her opponent’s and as she did not allow a single break point advantage to her opponent as she had managed to save both her break points and instead broke her opponent once. Whereas, the Serbian’s defence had helped her in saving 5 of the 6 break points, however, it failed her to capitalize on any of her opponent’s break points.
After finally hitting a backhand winner to nail down the second set the Russian forced a third set.
Having won the second set boosted the Russian’s performance and she aced twice, struck 2 double faults, and succeeded in attaining an exceptional 69% win in total service points against the 23-year-old Serb.
Attaining a 3-0 this week, the 26-year-old with her expertise saved fifty percent of her break points and converted 2 of the 3 break point chances to her advantage, whereas, Ivanovic saved and won only 1 break point.
The Russian, who had won the first four games of the third set held at 5-4, while, Ivanovic came back to win three straight games after trailing 5-1 in the third set, however, Zvonareva finally closed the match when Ivanovic netted a forehand winning the set 6-4.
After the match Zvonareva expressed with joy, "I felt like sometimes I was going for some crazy shots and making some wrong decisions. But I knew that I had to push myself to keep trying them. They didn't work in the first set, then they started slowing working and it helped me to win the match."
The two-time Grand Slam finalist will face the Pole Agnieszka Radwanska in the final on Sunday the 7th of August 2011.
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