The Hindu : Sport : Mariya Koryttseva enters final

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Sunday, Sep 23, 2007
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Sport

Mariya Koryttseva enters final

Vijay Parthasarathy

— PHOTO: AP

WINNING UGLY: Mariya Koryttseva earned a shot at the title beating Anne Keothavong.

Kolkata: Mariya Koryttseva and Anne Keothavong engaged each other in a scrap that lasted two sets and an hour and 46 minutes; in the end it was hard to ascertain who played worse, here at the Netaji Indoor Stadium on Saturday.

The result — a 7-6(3), 6-3 notch for Koryttseva — was not pretty, and reflects little more than the truth that Keothavong’s forehand misfired more often than Koryttseva’s.

Semifinalists in a WTA event for the first time, both blundered around nervously, wading deep into rallies only to make a hash of them with one false stroke. This would have made for an interesting second-round match, but at this level, both found themselves flapping for a gulp of air.

The match commenced with an exchange of breaks. Then, 4-2 up and looking to secure the set, Koryttseva lost three games and put pressure on herself — 4-4, 0-30 — after a backhand slice, probably her weakest shot, contrived to plop softly at the base of the net.

She reverted to the forehand — the use of which was punctuated with short, confident grunts, as opposed to the more tentative whimper on the backhand — and managed to save the game; then halted her opponent’s momentum with a couple of powerful service returns.

The first set went to a tie-break, which Koryttseva won after breaking away from 4-4.

There was no settling down in the second set either.

After another early exchange breaks, Koryttseva called for a trainer to attend to her left thigh. “It was hurting from the first point; I’ve been playing every day and I just came from Ukraine where I played an ITF tournament. So no rest,” Koryttseva said later.

Keothavong saved face, down 2-5, by holding at 15 and earned the consolation victory of forcing her opponent to serve out the match — which Koryttseva proceeded to do without losing a point.

It must be said that both served tentatively, especially in the first set, and were forced to go for broke during the other’s service games.

Keothavong was disappointed to have lost, but took some positives from the game.

“It’s good to make a semifinal, hopefully I’ll be able to break into the top 100 and not just be Britain’s No. 1 player.”

Koryttseva will play the winner of the other semifinal match, featuring Maria Kirilenko and Daniela Hantuchova. At the time of going to press, the match was intriguingly poised, with Kirilenko two breaks up in the second set after having lost the first 6-4.

The results: Semifinals: Mariya Koryttseva bt Anne Keothavong 7-6(3), 6-3.

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