Top seed combination from France Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic clashed with Australia's wild card entry of Casey Dellacqua and Ash Barty.
The French pair had beaten 13th seeds Srebotnik and Zheng in the third round to reach here, and the Aussie's had removed unseeded Groenefeld and Peschke.
Both wins were in straight sets.
Barty served first and held easily. Garcia was broken, unforced errors the teams main problem, a Barty forehand winner the final point. 2-0 Australia.
3-0 with a Dellacqua forehand winner the highlight.
Mladenovic served a timely strong game and the French pair were on the board 1-3.
Casey won a net exchange and Ash hit a forehand crosscourt and ace for a love game and 4-1. Garcia was broken a second time despite hitting a fine running forehand winner.
Dellacqua served for the set at 5-1 and had no trouble. A great start for the team 6-1 against the top ranked pair.
The French pair swapped sides, Garcia taking the deuce court, for the second set, hoping it would change their fortunes. Mladenovic held serve and it was 1-0.
A wayward forehand from Barty and 30-30 but an ace gave her game point and she levelled at 1-1
Garcia held serve for the first time in the match, and 2-1 France. Dellacqua tied it up at 2-2. The top seeds were now looking more dangerous and after an easy Mladenovic service hold, the break came. Garcia and Mladenovic winners produced two break points and only one was necessary. 4-2.
A solid service game from Garcia pushed it out to 5-2, and a love game against the Dellacqua serve presented the set to France 6-2. It was a set apiece.
Mladenovic served an ace to seal the opening game of the decider. Errors were becoming a little too frequent for the Australians and they faced a break point on the Barty serve when Garcia hit a winning forehand. That was saved but another was created with a Mladenovic volley splitting the middle. The same player hit a forehand winner down the line and France led 2-0.
The French pair were controlling the net and Garcia raced through her serve to give the team a 3-0 advantage. Dellacqua held serve thanks to two top volleys from Barty.
1-3.
Mladenovic maintained her perfect record on serve for the match and the lead was 4-1.
Two break points on the Barty serve came through brilliant returning, especially from Mladenovic. One was saved. Not the next, and 5-1 with Garcia to serve for the match.
Superb finishing at the net by Mladenovic, backing up the solid serve of Garcia brought up two match points.
It was over 1-6 6-2 6-1.
Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic through to a semi final to play 12th seeds Hlavackova and Peng.
No comments:
Post a Comment