Day 7 of Australian Open 2019, and the round of sixteen. Final match in the night session on Rod Laver Arena was:
Sloane Stephens (5) (USA) v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
Stephens served first. Two forehand winners highlighted the service hold and the American led 1-0. Pavlyuchenkova hit two forehand winners, but unforced errors gave Stephens break point. Saved, as well as a second chance. Four deuces in a game where the third break point was converted with a Stephens backhand winner. 2-0.
Stephens was down 0-40, but saved all break points, and proceeded to hold serve. 3-0.
Pavlyuchenkova attacked the Stephens backhand, forcing three errors to register her first game. 1-3. Stephens surrendered just one point in extending her lead to 4-1.
Pavlyuchenkova was down 0-40, thanks mainly to a pair of Stephens forehand winners. All break points were saved and serve was held, three backhand winners the key. 2-4. Winners from both Russian wings put Stephens under pressure, facing two break points. One was saved, but a Pavlyuchenkova backhand winner secured a break back and 3-4.
The Russian saved two break points en route to 4-4.
No more break points were faced and a tie break was required.
From 3-3, Stephens took control of the tie break, winning the next three points and holding three set points.
A Pavlyuchenkova double fault presented Stephens with the set 7-6(3).
In the opening game of set two, Pavlyuchenkova wasted a game point, and two unforced errors donated the break of serve to Stephens who led 1-0. The American served to love, a backhand winner sealing the game. 2-0.
Pavlyuchenkova negotiated two deuces before two forehands ended the game and she held for 1-2. Stephens saved the first of two break points, but not the second, and games were 2-2.
Pavlyuchenkova saved a break point with a forehand winner and then held serve to move ahead 3-2.
Three straight Stephens forehand winners and three game points. Back to deuce. A Russian forehand winner and break point. Deuce after a backhand error from Pavlyuchenkova. A repeat and game point. Serve held and 3-3. Pavlyuchenkova held, in a game full of mistakes, for 4-3.
Pavlyuchenkova then broke serve, having forced forehand errors, and led 5-3.
Serving for the set, Pavlyuchenkova received three forehand errors from Stephens and although two set points went by the wayside, Pavlyuchenkova won on the third. 6-3
In the decider, Stephens opened with a marathon game, complete with 10 deuces and 8 break points. She saved them all, and won the game with a backhand winner. 1-0. Pavlyuchenkova levelled, losing just one point. 1-1
The pair exchanged service breaks and it was 2-2.
Stephens once again found herself down 15-40, and saved one break point with a winning forehand. She was unable to save the second though, and Pavlyuchenkova led 3-2.
A Russian forehand winner and American errors allowed Pavlyuchenkova consolidated the break, leading now 4-2.
A Pavlyuchenkova forehand winner, in between forced Stephens forehand errors, created three break points. An unforced Stephens error gave Pavlyuchenkova the break and she led 5-2, serve to come.
Three Russian forehand errors gave Stephens three break points. A forehand winner produced the break and the deficit was reduced to 3-5.
Stephens faced three match points on the back of Pavlyuchenkova winners from both wings. One was saved.
Not the next though.
A forehand winner saw Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeat Sloane Stephens 6-7(3) 6-3 6-3. An all American clash was denied now that Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) would play Danielle Collins (USA) in an unseeded quarter final.
No comments:
Post a Comment