Error-prone Sania survives News Archive News

Sania Mirza is one lucky girl. Lucky because she overcame a plethora of unforced errors and blistering New York winds to miove into the thir...

By: Express News Service

New Delhi | September 1, 2005 12:00 AM IST

3 min read

Sania Mirza is one lucky girl. Lucky because she overcame a plethora of unforced errors and blistering New York winds to miove into the third round of the US Open. The 18-year old Indian ace ended on the better side of Wednesday night8217;s 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 encounter against Maria Elena Camerin in an apt display of mediocre tennis lasting 2 hours and seven minutes at the Louis Armstrong court.

Sania started the proceedings on a bright note, by breaking the 23-year -old Italian in her very first game after retaining her serve to go 2-0 up. Thereafter Sania took advantage of a nervous Camerin and raced to a 5-2 lead before showing first glimpse of her fluctuating game. She dropped her serve 8212; double faulting and then depositing a low backhand drop into the net8212; to allow her opponent claw 5-4 but hit back immediately to snatch the break back and place the first set in her kitty.

Things changed, and changed dramatically as Sania8217;s first serve dipped to a lowly 44 per cent even as her inflated tally of 19 unforced errors spelt doom for her in the second set. She dropped serve in her first game and although the penultimate set lasted exactly the same duration like the first one 8212; 42 minutes 8212; the scoreline mentioned the 81st ranked player in the world was in absolute control of the set. Camerin won the second set 6-2 but it was more because she played her points correctly 8212; if not powerfully 8212; while Sania8217;s frustrations at her consistency in making silly mistakes with her volley grew. Her trademark backhand too didn8217;t stand with her as windy conditions made it increasingly difficult for the players to adjust their serve.

A change of T-shirt for her 8212; she changed from a bright red to a more familiar white one 8212; and an injury time-out from Camerin at the start of the third set changed the momentum. Despite dropping her serve once again in the second game of the final set, she came back on level breaking the Italian in the next. Lady luck finally smiled on the Hyderabad girl when the linesman ruled a close call in her favour that earned her three break points in the sixth game, a gift she readily accepted. Camerin showed no signs to hide her emotions and henceforth slowly moved out of the match.

Sania, for once, played the big points well only to drop her guard again as she allowed a final chance in the seventh game and not capitalising on a 40-0 lead before wasting two break points and place the match tantalisingly tilted on her side at 4-3.

Things were quickly back to 4-4 as Sania dropped serve but Camerin retuned the compliment to give Sania a 5-4 lead. That she put her hands up in appreciation when she eventually succeeded in smashing an overhead volley in the final set, it spoke volumes of her game. It was finally over when Camerin played a forehand long as Sania heaved a sigh of relief and blew flying kisses and duly obliged autograph hunters.

BIG APPLE BYTES

	nbsp;	PLAY OF THE DAY Down 3-1 in the second set tie-break, a few neatly-placed forehand winners off Blake8217;s racquet gave the American wild card a two-sets to love advantage. UPSET OF THE DAY On his 23rd birthday, No 4 seed Andy Roddick was despatched in straight sets by unfancied Gilles Muller from Luxembourg. As Roddick struggling with his backhand, the left-handed Muller kept placing the ball in his weak area, forcing him to make errors. SURVIVOR OF THE DAY Making his fifth US Open appearance courtesy a wild card, American James Blake beat 28th seed Greg Rusedski 7-5, 7-6 7-3, 6-3. Blake has survived far worse: a career-threatening accident in May, the death of father and mentor Thomas in July, and a virulent case of shingles, which caused temporary paralysis in his face and vision problems. From a lowly no 210 in April this year, he is currently ranked no 37. ACE COUNT 35 Gustavo Kuerten against Paul Goldstein of the US on way to his four-set upset victory. Fastest serve of the day: Roddick150mph. DAILY DRAMA 18-year-old Andrew Murray battled an upset stomach, the humidity and nerves in the first US Open main-draw match of his career to defeat Romanian veteran Andrei Pavel 6-3, 3-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Along the way he threw up courtside and watched as Pavel let off a four-letter tirade against the umpire. Quote Unquote I8217;ve never felt this bad after a match as I do now. I8217;ve never felt better going into a Slam than I did here. This has totally blindsided me. 8212; Andy Roddick after his first round loss 8212; Anupama Bagri	nbsp;

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