Xin Wen dumps Yafan Wang to enter semis – Chang ITF Pro Circuit 2012
In an all-Chinese affair, Xin Wen triumphed over her fifth seeded compatriot, Yafan Wang, in straight sets at the Chang ITF Pro Circuit 2012 on Thursday. She notched up a 6-2, 7-5 victory against her fellow citizen to progress into the semi-finals at this
ITF (International Tennis Federation) Women’s Circuit event taking place in Bangkok, Thailand.
Seeded second in this event, Wen showed brilliant tennis to outclass the 18-year-old for the first time in their third meeting this season. The players last battled each other in the quarter-finals at the Jakarta ITF event and after earning this victory,
the higher seed lowered trail in her head-to-head record against Wang.
The 20-year-old made quick in-roads at the Rama Garden Sport Complex. After Wang held her serve in the third game, Wen unleashed flurry of groundstrokes and reeled off five games in a row. She held her entire serves without facing any barrier and cashed
two out five break opportunities to inch towards her goal.
Ranked 457th in the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Premier Rankings, Wen carried her rhythm in the following set. She exchanged two serve breaks before levelling the scores at 5-5. The higher ranked Chinese got the breakthrough in the 11th
game and eventually clicked the set with a 7-5 win. She brushed off two out of three breakpoints she came across and converted two out of six break chances to her advantage.
Next in line for Wen is the seventh seed, Shiho Akita from Japan. The Japanese upset third seed, Nungnadda Wannasuk, in a three-set nail-biter to progress at this event. She swayed from her path in the second set but remained calm, eventually sealing the
deal with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 victory.
The South Korean starlet, Ye-Ra Lee, will join Wen in the proceeding round. She stunned the sixth seed, Hao Chen Tang from China, in straight sets to steal the show. Lee dropped her serve once but broke her rival’s serve four times, eventually registering
a 6-2, 6-3 success.
Next challenge for Lee is the top seed, Qiang Wang, who destroyed the Ukrainian qualifier, Oleksandra Korashvili, with double breadsticks to set up this meeting.
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