Yanina Wickmayer battles past Anna Chakvetadze into second round – Brussels Open 2012
Belgian Yanina Wickmayer bounced back from a set down to do away with Russian Anna Chakvetadze in the opening round of the 2012 Brussels Open in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday, 22nd May 2012. In their first ever career
meeting, Wickmayer toiled for two hours and eight minutes before registering a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over the much lower ranked Russian.
Wickmayer won the toss and opened serve in the first set followed closely by the Russian in all aspects of the game. Kicking into high gear, the Russian immediately increased her onslaught as she broke the Belgian in the third
game and held her serve in the fourth to lead the first set 3-1. Determined to reduce the deficit, Wickmayer broke back in the sixth game to bring the score to a level three games each. However, to no avail. The Russian immediately capitalised on back to back
breaks to secure a 6-3 win in the first set and a lead in the set score.
However, Chakvetadze’s lead was short-lived. The local riding the crowd support bounced back in the second set to bring the set score to even terms. Down but definitely not out, Wickmayer opened the second set with a break of serve
extending her lead to 2-1. This time around, however, it was the Russian who broke back in the sixth game to level the scores to three games each. Standing at 4-4 on the scoreboard, Wickmayer once more broke her opponent before serving out the set to clinch
a 6-4 win in the second set.
A set win a piece forced the set into the decider. However, the local backed by the crowd faced no serious obstacle. Enjoying back to back breaks and allowing Chakvetadze to win only once on her serve, Wickmayer reeled off straight
games to clinch a breadstick win in the final set, sealing her three set win and ensuring her survival at the event.
Surviving the onslaught of Chakvetadze’s five aces and her own six double faults, Wickmayer only edged into the second round with a slightly higher first serve percentage and 13 point lead in the total points.
The local now marches on ahead to play the fourth seeded Slovak, Dominika Cibulkova in the second round of the Brussels Open later this week. Cibulkova secured her place in the second round after an easy breezy straight sets 7-6(1),
6-1 win over American Christina McHale.
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