Vania King blasts past Alla Kudryavtseva to reach the quarters – PTT Pattaya Open 2012
Eight seed, America’s Vania King, tumbled over the Russian challenger, Alla Kudryavtseva, with a breadstick at the PTT Pattaya Open 2012 on Thursday. She jolted down a 6-1, 6-3 score line against the 24-year-old to advance into the quarter-finals at the
WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) International event held after the Fed Cup.
The former world number 50 displayed tremendous skills to crush the Russian veteran in their fourth meeting. She not only improved to a 3-1 head-to-head record against Kudryavtseva but also avenged her loss at the AEGON Classic two years ago. King had now
booked a place in the quarter-finals where she will face the conqueror of the match between the defending champion, Daniela Hantuchova, and the Polish rising star, Urszula Radwanska.
The 23-year-old stormed into the opening set and went into a five games killing spree before the Kudryavtseva could hold on. She then swiped in another serve and registered an assuring 6-1 success. The American was never challenged throughout the opener
and cashed in two out of three break chances to prevail. She also spectacularly registered a perfect win on her higher first serve share.
King kept her momentum in the following set and earned the critical break in the opening game to take the initial lead. She then broke Kudryavtseva’s serve again in the fifth game and eventually went 4-1. The American then exchanged two serve breaks and
ultimately clinched the set with a 6-3 score line. She converted half of the eight break opportunities and again produced a higher first serve share.
The Indian icon, Sania Mirza, will accompany the eighth seed in the second round. She trounced the British challenger, Anne Keothavong, in straight sets to secure this spot.
Indian number one made quick in-roads after drawing the first blood in the second game. Regardless of losing her edge in the fifth game, she broke the British’s serve again in the last game and pocketed the opener by winning six games to four. Mirza lost
her rhythm in the following set and gifted away her serve in the third game. However, she bounced back and pocketed the set with a 7-5 win.