Kuznetsova edges Pliskova in epic thriller
Print Edition
SVETLANA Kuznetsova, showing no signs of giving up despite the gruelling schedule she has endured in the past week, produced another thrilling comeback to win her second straight match at the WTA Finals last night.
Just two days after she saved a match point in defeating the defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska, Kuznetsova again rallied back from the brink of defeat to beat US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6) in a heart-stopping encounter at Singapore’s Indoor Stadium.
“I felt the support of the crowd and I couldn’t let anyone down. So I had to fight,” the Russian said in a courtside interview. “I’ve not been at my best my past years. Something changed this year and I’m just enjoying my game.”
Pliskova, who saved a match point in her opening match win against Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, looked set for another big comeback win of her own when she recovered from 1-4 down in the deciding third set to lead 6-5.
But she was unable to serve out the match — as the relentless Kuznetsova recorded the eighth break of a nerve-jangling final set.
The 24-year-old Czech, seven years younger than Kuznetsova, saved three match points to draw level at 6-6 in the tiebreaker, but the more experienced Russian held her nerve and won the next two points to seal a remarkable victory — this time, without having to cut her own hair mid-match, which she did in her win over Radwanska.
Kuznetsova had already defied the odds just to get to Singapore for the prestigious end-of-season championship, only sneaking into the elite eight-player field after winning the Kremlin Cup in Moscow on Saturday.
She will qualify for the semifinals if Poland’s Radwanska beats Muguruza in the second match.
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