Wozniacki beats cramp and Zvonareva
Wozniacki: "no idea" how she pulled through
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Thursday, 29, Oct 2009 08:13
Leg cramps and a spirited comeback from Vera Zvonareva could not stop Caroline Wozniacki claiming her second victory in the round-robin group stage of the end-of-season WTA Championships in Doha.
The event is only open to the world's eight highest-ranked female players and Zvonareva, who was beaten 6-0, 6-7, 6-4, only made the line-up after a late withdrawal from Dinara Safina.
The Russian made an inauspicious start as she lost her first four service games on the way to being 'bageled' 6-0 in the first set.
She was in even deeper trouble in the second set when she went a break and 4-3 down after receiving medical treatment for a bleeding nose.
But she rallied to break back and force a tie-break after facing two match points, the first of which she saved after using Hawkeye to challenge an incorrect line- call.
After such drama the tie-break was a relatively mundane affair which Zvonareva won for the loss of just three points.
In the deciding set it was Wozniacki's turn to need medical assistance after she went 3-1 up.
Two medical time-outs helped her get to 5-4 and, although she at one stage collapsed to the ground, sobbing and clutching both legs, she held on to secure victory.
With her place in the semi-finals virtually assured, Wozniacki said: "I have no idea how I pulled through."