MELBOURNE: Serb fifth seed Ana Ivanovic tumbled out of the Australian Open on Friday, losing to Russian teenager Alisa Kleybanova 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 as her form slump continued.
Ivanovic, the reigning French Open champion and a losing finalist here last year, staged an epic fightback in the second set of the marathon third round match, but it was not enough to overcome the Russian 26th seed.
Her loss is the second major upset in the women's draw in as many days, with the Serb pin-up following American sixth seed Venus Williams out of the season-opening Grand Slam.
Kleybanova said she played the game of her life against Ivanovic in the two-hour 33 minute clash, eclipsing her run to the fourth round at Wimbledon last year.
"I'm so happy that I did it," the ecstatic 19-year-old said.
"We both played great tennis and I really enjoyed the crowd over three sets. I'm happy to win because I was able to play my best tennis today."
The match began as a baseline slugfest, until Ivanovic broke the deadlock, capitalising on her first break point opportunity to go up 5-3.
Kleybanova switched tactics and came to the net, setting up a four-game winning streak that gave her the first set.
Her stunning form continued when she broke Ivanovic for the third time in the opening game of the second set, holding her opponent to love in the next game for a 2-0 lead.
Urged on by the Melbourne Park crowd, Ivanovic desperately searched for a way back into the match but Kleybanova was relentless, breaking the Serb again to go ahead 3-0 when her opponent hit her return into the stands.
Seemingly down and out, Ivanovic bludgeoned her way back into the match in a rollercoaster set stretching 66 minutes where eight games went against serve.
Both players appeared exhausted at times but kept at each other in a fiercely competitive match.
Every time Ivanovic cancelled out a Kleybanova break, the Russian edged ahead again, coming within three points of sealing a win when she served at 5-4, only for the Serb to make her fourth break-back of the set.
Ivanovic even had to stage a mini-comeback when the set went to a tie-break, trailing 3-1 but recovering to serve her way to a 7-5 win in the decider, sparking wild applause in the stands.
But Kleybanova refused to let her superstar opponent wrest the momentum in the third set, bringing up two break points in the second game and capitalising when Ivanovic netted a forehand return.
She held to lead 3-0. Yet again Ivanovic picked herself up off the canvas to break-back only to have Kleybanova break her again in the next game.
This time the Russian did not surrender her advantage, making her third and final break when Ivanovic served to try to stay in the match.
Source: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ivanovic_bounced_from_Australian_Open/articleshow/4022530.cms
Ivanovic, the reigning French Open champion and a losing finalist here last year, staged an epic fightback in the second set of the marathon third round match, but it was not enough to overcome the Russian 26th seed.
Her loss is the second major upset in the women's draw in as many days, with the Serb pin-up following American sixth seed Venus Williams out of the season-opening Grand Slam.
Kleybanova said she played the game of her life against Ivanovic in the two-hour 33 minute clash, eclipsing her run to the fourth round at Wimbledon last year.
"I'm so happy that I did it," the ecstatic 19-year-old said.
"We both played great tennis and I really enjoyed the crowd over three sets. I'm happy to win because I was able to play my best tennis today."
The match began as a baseline slugfest, until Ivanovic broke the deadlock, capitalising on her first break point opportunity to go up 5-3.
Kleybanova switched tactics and came to the net, setting up a four-game winning streak that gave her the first set.
Her stunning form continued when she broke Ivanovic for the third time in the opening game of the second set, holding her opponent to love in the next game for a 2-0 lead.
Urged on by the Melbourne Park crowd, Ivanovic desperately searched for a way back into the match but Kleybanova was relentless, breaking the Serb again to go ahead 3-0 when her opponent hit her return into the stands.
Seemingly down and out, Ivanovic bludgeoned her way back into the match in a rollercoaster set stretching 66 minutes where eight games went against serve.
Both players appeared exhausted at times but kept at each other in a fiercely competitive match.
Every time Ivanovic cancelled out a Kleybanova break, the Russian edged ahead again, coming within three points of sealing a win when she served at 5-4, only for the Serb to make her fourth break-back of the set.
Ivanovic even had to stage a mini-comeback when the set went to a tie-break, trailing 3-1 but recovering to serve her way to a 7-5 win in the decider, sparking wild applause in the stands.
But Kleybanova refused to let her superstar opponent wrest the momentum in the third set, bringing up two break points in the second game and capitalising when Ivanovic netted a forehand return.
She held to lead 3-0. Yet again Ivanovic picked herself up off the canvas to break-back only to have Kleybanova break her again in the next game.
This time the Russian did not surrender her advantage, making her third and final break when Ivanovic served to try to stay in the match.
Source: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ivanovic_bounced_from_Australian_Open/articleshow/4022530.cms
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