Kaia Kanepi reaches US Open second round in comeback game
Estonian tennis player Kaia Kanepi is through to the second round of the U.S. Open after beating Tatjana Maria (Germany) in three sets, 5:7, 7:6 (4), 6:3 on Tuesday in a match which saw her come back from the brink of defeat.
The first set remained neck-and-neck at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, until the 12th game, when Maria broke Kanepi's serve to take the set 7:5, according to ERR's online sports portal.
The second set was even closer, though Maria managed to break Kanepi's serve in the 8th game to take things to 5:3 and just one game away from victory.
However, Kanepi, 34, from Haapsalu, was able to return the favor, breaking the German's serve to take the score to 5:4, tying things up in the next game by holding her serve.
Both players held their serves in the next two games to take things to a tie break situation, which Kanepi started off well in, only for Maria to pull back level (under international rules, following the first tie-break point, players serve two points in a row, alternately).
The third set started badly for Kanepi, whose serve was broken. However, two games later she was in the lead, and never lost it again in the set, drawing level at 3:3. That was the last game that the German won, however, as Kanepi cruised to victory in clinching the next three games, finishing the set 6:3 and winning the match.
Kanepi, who reached the quarter finals of the U.S. Open, one of four grand slam events held annually, for the second time just two years ago, faces Donna Vekić, 23, of Croatia, who defeated Richèl Hogenkamp (Netherlands) in round one.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte