Dementieva brick wall too much for Stosur
Sam Stosur knew she had a tough task when facing the Olympic singles gold medallist Elena Dementieva in last nights Rod Laver Arena match at the Australia Open.
Stosur started well and had an early break to lead 3-1. As turned out to be a pattern for the match everytime she did get a break Dementieva would break back. The made the score 3-2 back on serve.
Stosur would again break. Dementieva was have trouble getting used to the pace and spin coming from Stosur. Another break came Stosur’s way and she found herself up 5-2 after holding serve.
Dementieva managed to hold serve to love to make the match 5-3 with Stosur serving for the first set. Stosur started with a loose shot that sent a forehand well wide. This was followed by a double-fault. Her first serve then gave her an easy point but she threw in another double-fault to make it 15-40. Stosure won the next point at the end of a long rally to give her another chance to try to win the set. It was not to be as Dementieva got the break after a down the line passing shot just dropped in.
Dementieva was on a roll. She was a lot more consistent at this point and ran off three straight games to make the score 5-5. Stosur held after a tough battle to go up 6-5. The next game went to Dementieva and the players headed to a tie-break.
The breaker was neck and neck. Dementieva had a set point at 6-5 on Stosur’s serve but a powerful forehand winner saved that. Dementieva brought up another set point after a fantastic forehand from way behind the baseline as she hit an outright winner. The next point was hers and the first set went to Dementieva 7-6(6).
The second set opened with a pair of breaks. Both girls were having more success returning then serving. More breaks came Stosur got it back to 3-2 with her serving, but guess what another break came.
From here Dementieva slowly pulled away to lead 5-2. She had a match point but could not convert. Stosur held and then broke again to have some hope. In the end Dementieva was too tough and she took the match 7-6(6), 6-4.
The two double-faults when serving for the set from Stosur were crucial in the match. If she took the first set who knows how it would have gone. That is all speculation now and Dementieva is the winner.
In the other night session match on centre court Rafael Nadal was too good for Tommy Haas. He took the match 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. Haas started well and was up 2-0 early but that was as good as it got for the German.
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