Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Medina Garrigues implodes in Charleston

Tatiana Perebiynis, playing in fine form, took Anabel Medina Garrigues out of Charleston today

I have heard Anabel Medina Garrigues scream and shout during a match on several occasions, and I have seen her throw her racquet. But until today, I had never seen her cry. But in her second round match against Tatiana Perebiynis, Medina Garrigues had a meltdown as big as her feisty court personality. We arrived just after the first set was completed. Medina Garrigues took that set, 6-4, and we settled down for what we thought would be a victorious second set.

Suddenly, however, Medina Garrigues could not do anything right, and Perebynis could do little wrong. Medina Garrigues, angry and frustrated, could do very little with her first serve, and even less with her second. She was broken every time she served, and she failed to convert the one break point she had against Perebiynis. Perebiynis, meanwhile, cruised through the set with expert approach shots and winning groundstrokes. Medina Garrigues utilized her doubles partner, Virginia Ruano Pascual, as her coach, and when Ruano Pascual went onto the court to talk with her, Medina Garrigues was in tears.

The last set was much better for Medina Garrigues. She regained her serve and got a grip on herself in general. Perebynis began to make errors and was broken, and it looked like Medina Garrigues fans (of whom I am one) would have a happy outcome after all. But Perebiynis regained her footing and returned to making precision shots. Medina Garrigues had a major temper outburst, followed by more tears, and received a time violation warning from the umpire. She was broken twice in that set, and a steady, accurate Perebiynis moved on to the third round.

Perebiynis def. Medina Garrigues, 4-6, 6-0, 7-5

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