Yaroslava Shvedova stuns Li Na to enter quarters – Roland Garros 2012
Kazakhstani qualifier, Yaroslava Shvedova, showed top class performance to upset the defending champion, Li Na, in a three-set thriller at the French Open 2012 on Monday. She hit back to formulate a 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory at this prestigious clay court tournament
taking place in Paris, France.
The Kazakh underdog played her best tennis to shock the seventh seeded Li in their second encounter. After stealing the glory in almost two hour-long venture, Shvedova not only avenged her loss at the DFS Classic in Birmingham five years ago but also levelled
the head-to-head series by 1-1 against the Chinese veteran.
"I was just fighting every ball and focusing on what I needed to do, but believe me, I was thinking a lot," the charming Kazakh stated. "The thoughts were coming to me about some girls losing here from 5-1 and 5-2, and I was like, 'No, no, no, I have to
focus. I have to fight, fight, fight, fight.' I had a game plan today, it just didn't work very well in the first set because she was playing very well. But I figured it out and changed my game from there. For now, I think this is the most incredible win I've
had."
The Chinese number one made quick in-roads at the Court Suzanne Lenglen and drew the first blood in the opening game to take the initial lead. She then played her original game and plucked her entire serves with self-assurance. Li cashed in another break
opportunity in the last game and pulled out the opener with a 6-3 score line.
Ranked 142nd in the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Premier Rankings, Shvedova sought her rhythm in the follow-up set and earned the critical break in the opening game to take the initial lead. She lost her edge in the very next game but broke
her rival’s serve once again to go 2-1 up. Apart from losing her serve in the fourth game, the Kazakh unleashed her skills and stroke out the last four games in a row, eventually sealing the equaliser by winning six games to two.
The 24-year-old went berserk in the final set and reeled off all six games consecutively. She brushed off all four breakpoints she came across and cashed in three out of nine break chances to pocket the decider with a bagel.
Next challenge for Shvedova is the fourth seed, Petra Kvitova, who crippled America’s Varvara Lepchenko with a breadstick to set up this clash.
Tags: