Tamara Zidansek defeated Linda Fruhvirtova in the second round of the Thailand Open on Wednesday. The Slovenian upset the eighth seed from the Czech Republic 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in a match lasting two hours and 57 minutes. Fruhvirtova’s seven double faults contributed to the result.
The teenager won 56% of her first-serve points to her opponent’s 52%. Zidansek, however, won 65% points on return on Fruhvirtova’s second serve while winning 47% of her second-serve points. Both players faced 18 break points each.
Zidansek went on to save 12 of these while converting eight.
Thailand Open: Xinyu Wang survives seeds’ exit
Looking to reach the semi-finals, Zidansek will now play Lin Zhu. Zhu came through Su Jeong Jang in their second-round match, 6-4, 7-6(6) in two hours and 21 minutes.
The South Korean served for the second set at 5-4 but failed to bring up match points. Of the two break points she faced in that game, Jang saved the first but Zhu brought the set back on serve after converting the second break point.
For the match, Zhu failed to save all five break points she faced while converting six break points on Jang’s serve. Lesia Tsurenko posted the second upset of the day as she took out fourth seed Anna Kalinskaya in their round-of-16 meeting.
The Ukrainian won 6-0, 6-7(3), 6-4 in two hours and 24 minutes. In the first set, Tsurenko didn’t face any break point but went on to convert three of the four break points that she had on Kalinskaya’s serve. Both players were erratic in the second set.
In the 12th game, Kalinskaya had a chance to serve the set out but failed to do so but managed to pocket the set in the tie-break. In the deciding set, Tsurenko once again upped her game – she won 89% points on return on Kalinskaya’s second serve – to get the win for herself.
Next up for the world no. 136 will be either fellow countrywoman, Dayana Yastremska or sixth seed Tatjana Maria. Seventh seed Xinyu Wang also reached the quarters of the Thailand Open with a 6-3, 6-3 win after an hour and 25 minutes of play. Wang awaits either Nao Hibino or Heather Watson next. Photo Credit: Thailand Open Twitter
