Kaia Kanepi out in Miami after three-and-a-half-hour first round match
Kaia Kanepi is out of the Miami Open in round one, after losing to Camila Giorgi (Italy) Monday in a marathon encounter which lasted three sets, and had a final scoreline of 7:6 (4), 6:7 (4), 7:6 (4), in other words the same score in each set.
The entire encounter at the Hard Rock Stadium lasted three hours and 36 minutes.
Kanepi, 37, from Haapsalu, went into the game having dropped down in the rankings a few places, to 57th. Giorgi is currently ranked 44th in the world.
Kanepi lost the opening game and soon found herself 4:1 down, put pulled back, breaking in game nine to take things to 5:5. While Kanepi took a 3:0 lead in the ensuing tie-break, the Italian, 31, fought back to win 7:4, and with it the set.
Set two saw almost a mirror image as the Estonian lost the opening game, broke (this time in game eight) and pulled the scoreline back to evens, at 4:4 this time. The second tie-break situation of the match saw Kanepi prevail this time, also 7:4.
In the decider, Giorgi looked set to win as she raced to 5:0 in games, breaking twice. However, Kanepi broke twice herself, and took things to 6:6 and therefore the third, and final, tie-break – which Giorgi emerged successful from, 7:4 again.
The service stats paint a picture. Kanepi served up 19 aces and committed seven double faults to Giorgi's 11 aces and 14 double faults.
Kanepi had a first serve success rate of 57, to Giorgi's 55.
Both players realized four out of 10 break points, and both won 135 points.
Anett Kontaveit is injured and is not competing in Miami.
Giorgi next faces world number 16 Victoria Azarenka (Belarus), who wa given a bye to round two.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
