Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Amanmuradova says hometown pressure got to her

It is entirely my fault and I am very angry with myself for not taken chances in the first set tiebreak. At this level these mistakes are unpardonable and it is shame for me to lose in my hometown.

But I had tremendous pressure of my country on me before I went to play and admit that I could not handle the pressure, and I apologize to the fans for my performance.


That is what Akgul Amanmuradova had to say about her Tashkent Open first round loss to Urzula Radwanska. Radwanska defeated her, 7-6, 6-3, which, I'm sure, was a great disappointment to the crowd. Amanmuradova sounds like she's being pretty tough on herself, though. Urzula Radwanska isn't exactly an easy first round draw. Hometown pressure is tough, though, and not just for younger players. Amelie Mauresmo seems to almost dread playing in the French Open, for example.

Amanmuradova was seeded 7th. The number 2 seed, Olga Govortsova, made a first-round exit, too. As for Radwanska, she made it through the second round, but in the quarterfinals, she faces Sabine Lisicki, which will not be an easy task.

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