Vesnina upsets Li to reach Aegon semis
Source: Agencies |
June 21, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
UNSEEDED Elena Vesnina pulled off a surprise in the quarterfinals of the Aegon International by beating second-seeded Chinese Li Na 7-6 (4), 6-3 in Eastbourne, England, yesterday.
The Russian, better known as a doubles specialist, broke Li early in the first set but the former French Open champion rallied to force a tie-breaker, which she lost 4-7.
In the second set, too, Vesnina got an early break but this time she made sure there was no coming back for Li. The top-ranked Chinese had received a walkover into the quarterfinals when Marion Bartoli of France withdrew with a viral infection.
Li's defeat means the top four women's seeds at the tournament are out before the semifinals.
Earlier, qualifier Jamie Hampton became the first American since Jennifer Capriati in 2003 to reach the Eastbourne semifinals after rallying past Czech Lucie Safarova 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4.
Hampton, who beat top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the first round, was unable to win any of her seven break points in the first set. Safarova broke to lead 4-3 in the second set and served for victory at 5-4, but the American broke back and even had a set point at 6-5 before sweeping the tiebreaker.
After an exchange of breaks early in the final set, Hampton broke again to lead 5-4.
On the men's side, Feliciano Lopez beat Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 7-6 (6) to reach the final four in a battle of Spanish lefthanders.
The match was delayed for 90 minutes by light rain. Just one break of serve at 2-2 decided the opening set, and Verdasco was unhappy about the grasscourt conditions.
Lopez saved a break point to hold for 2-2 and a second set point at 5-4. He rallied from 1-4 down in the tiebreaker.
In another match, Croatia's Ivan Dodig, the conqueror of top seed Milos Raonic of Canada in the previous round, added another seeded scalp to his name by brushing aside eighth-seeded Italian Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-2.
The Russian, better known as a doubles specialist, broke Li early in the first set but the former French Open champion rallied to force a tie-breaker, which she lost 4-7.
In the second set, too, Vesnina got an early break but this time she made sure there was no coming back for Li. The top-ranked Chinese had received a walkover into the quarterfinals when Marion Bartoli of France withdrew with a viral infection.
Li's defeat means the top four women's seeds at the tournament are out before the semifinals.
Earlier, qualifier Jamie Hampton became the first American since Jennifer Capriati in 2003 to reach the Eastbourne semifinals after rallying past Czech Lucie Safarova 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4.
Hampton, who beat top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the first round, was unable to win any of her seven break points in the first set. Safarova broke to lead 4-3 in the second set and served for victory at 5-4, but the American broke back and even had a set point at 6-5 before sweeping the tiebreaker.
After an exchange of breaks early in the final set, Hampton broke again to lead 5-4.
On the men's side, Feliciano Lopez beat Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 7-6 (6) to reach the final four in a battle of Spanish lefthanders.
The match was delayed for 90 minutes by light rain. Just one break of serve at 2-2 decided the opening set, and Verdasco was unhappy about the grasscourt conditions.
Lopez saved a break point to hold for 2-2 and a second set point at 5-4. He rallied from 1-4 down in the tiebreaker.
In another match, Croatia's Ivan Dodig, the conqueror of top seed Milos Raonic of Canada in the previous round, added another seeded scalp to his name by brushing aside eighth-seeded Italian Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-2.
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