Wing-Yau Venise Chan downs Xiaorong Dong to enter quarters – Chang ITF Pro Circuit 2012
In an all-Chinese affair, Wing-Yau Venise Chan bounced back to overpower her qualifying compatriot, Xiaorong Dong, in a three-set nail-biter at the Chang ITF Pro Circuit 2012 on Wednesday. She summed up a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 victory against the 18-year-old to power into the quarter-finals at this ITF (International Tennis Federation) Women’s Circuit event taking place form 10th to 16th December in Bangkok, Thailand.
Chan made a slow start at this outdoor hard court event. However, she remained calm and eventually carved out the victory in almost two hours and 45 minutes. As a result, the seed comfortably progressed into the last eight.
The qualifier made quick in-roads at the Rama Garden Sport Complex. She exchanged three serve breaks and levelled the scores in the 10th game. Dong then got the breakthrough and eventually sealed the opener by winning seven games to five. She failed to block all three breakpoints she came across and capitalised on four out of six break chances to inch towards her goal.
The 23-year-old made a fitting reply in the following set. She smoothly kept her entire serves with conviction. Chan cashed the lone break chance in the last game and clinched the equaliser with a 6-4 score line. The seed displayed brilliant defensive skills in this set as Chan warded off all four breakpoints she came across.
Ranked 367th in the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Premier Rankings, Chan carried her rhythm in the deciding set. She got the coveted break early in the set and jumped to a 3-1 lead. The higher ranked Chinese availed another break chance in the second last game, eventually clicked the decider with a 6-2 win. She blocked the only breakpoint she came across and availed both break chances to steal the spotlight.
Next in line for Chan is the fifth seed, Nungnadda Wannasuk, who recorded a 6-2, 3-2 retirement victory against her wild card compatriot, Kamonwan Buayam.
The fourth seed, Katharina Lehnert, also stole the spotlight later that night. She overpowered the Japanese challenger, Shiho Akita, to secure this spot. The German recorded a 5-3 retirement victory to advance at this event.
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