The phrases "Vera Zvonareva" and "broken racquet" go together in the lexicon of women's professional tennis, but today in Stuttgart, it was a case of Vera Zvonareva and broken strings. The 2nd seed's strings broke repeatedly, sometimes more than once during a game. At one point, she had to use her coach's racquet. And for the sixth time in a row, Stosur beat her. The 5th seed--who is again showing signs that clay is the surface on which she is most comfortable--won 2-6, 6-3, 7-6, and will play Julia Goerges in the semifinals.
Goerges, who is the last German standing, broke countrywoman Sabine Lisicki at 4-all in both the first and second set, and walked away with a 6-4, 6-4 win. She and Andrea Petkovic lost in the doubles quarterfinals, however. They were defeated in straight sets by wild cards Stosur and Licsicki.
A lot of people probably expected Andrea Petkovic to be the last German standing. On paper, she should be. The "old Petkovic" used to choke away leads, and--just when we thought she had been banished--she showed up today in Stuttgart. Petkovic was up 4-1, 40-0 in the first set, and somehow managed to lose it 4-6. After that, top seed Caroline Wozniacki simply took over; Petkovic won one game in the second set.
Wozniacki's opponent in the semifinals will be Agnieszka Radwanska. I really wanted to watch Radwanska's match against Kristina Barrois because I so enjoy both of their games. In the middle of the first set, though, I had to leave. Radwanska won, 7-5, 6-3.
6 comments:
You say Petkovic lost the first set 4-6 after having led 5-1? That is indeed choking on a completely new level! ;-)
It wasn't pretty. And you knew she wasn't going to get it back, either. And especially against Wozniacki.
Well, no. But to actually go from 5 to 4 games won takes some doing!
I think Caro was down 4-1...before the yips set in for Petkorazzi. I hope Andrea perseveres. She has the talent.
Yes, sorry, I struck the "5" key when I meant "4." But it was still pretty surprsing, considering how much Petkovic has improved in mental strength lately.
It can't succeed in fact, that is what I think.
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