Zheng fights back to reach final
Source: Agencies |
January 7, 2012, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA'S Zheng Jie rallied from a set down to beat third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 yesterday to reach the final of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.
Zheng will face Flavia Pennetta in today's final.
Fourth-seeded Panetta made up for a quarterfinal loss to Angelique Kerber at last year's US Open when she beat the unseeded German 6-1, 6-2.
Kuznetsova, the world No. 19 dropped only 14 games in reaching the semifinals. She seemed likely to carry on in the same vein against Zheng when she swept the first set in 49 minutes with service breaks in the second and fourth games, dropping serve in the seventh.
Zheng knuckled down in the second set and played with much more accuracy while Kuznetsova became error-prone and started to play more defensively.
"My coach came onto the court after the first set and told me to focus," Zheng said. "I have to thank my coach. He said on every point I should try to play well.
Zheng took the second set in 44 minutes, breaking Kuznetsova in the seventh and last games, then gained the advantage in the final set with a break in the fourth and sixth games.
Pennetta will contest the Auckland final for the second time. She was the runner-up in 2010. The world No. 20 has nine singles titles while Zheng will be seeking her fourth title from six WTA Tour finals.
Murray advances
Italy's Pennetta has yet to drop a set in four matches at the Auckland tournament and has lost only six games in the last two rounds.
In Brisbane, Australia, top-seeded Andy Murray shifted up a gear in a 6-2, 6-2 win over Marcos Baghdatis yesterday to advance to the semifinals at the Brisbane International, his only tune-up tournament for the Australian Open.
In the women's semifinals, Kim Clijsters injured her hip and was forced to retire against Daniela Hantuchova.
No. 24-ranked Hantuchova will be aiming for her fifth WTA Tour title when she plays No. 34-ranked Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, who took less than an hour to beat 2010 French Open winner Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-3, 6-0 in the other semifinal.
Zheng will face Flavia Pennetta in today's final.
Fourth-seeded Panetta made up for a quarterfinal loss to Angelique Kerber at last year's US Open when she beat the unseeded German 6-1, 6-2.
Kuznetsova, the world No. 19 dropped only 14 games in reaching the semifinals. She seemed likely to carry on in the same vein against Zheng when she swept the first set in 49 minutes with service breaks in the second and fourth games, dropping serve in the seventh.
Zheng knuckled down in the second set and played with much more accuracy while Kuznetsova became error-prone and started to play more defensively.
"My coach came onto the court after the first set and told me to focus," Zheng said. "I have to thank my coach. He said on every point I should try to play well.
Zheng took the second set in 44 minutes, breaking Kuznetsova in the seventh and last games, then gained the advantage in the final set with a break in the fourth and sixth games.
Pennetta will contest the Auckland final for the second time. She was the runner-up in 2010. The world No. 20 has nine singles titles while Zheng will be seeking her fourth title from six WTA Tour finals.
Murray advances
Italy's Pennetta has yet to drop a set in four matches at the Auckland tournament and has lost only six games in the last two rounds.
In Brisbane, Australia, top-seeded Andy Murray shifted up a gear in a 6-2, 6-2 win over Marcos Baghdatis yesterday to advance to the semifinals at the Brisbane International, his only tune-up tournament for the Australian Open.
In the women's semifinals, Kim Clijsters injured her hip and was forced to retire against Daniela Hantuchova.
No. 24-ranked Hantuchova will be aiming for her fifth WTA Tour title when she plays No. 34-ranked Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, who took less than an hour to beat 2010 French Open winner Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-3, 6-0 in the other semifinal.
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