Klara Zakopalova saved four match points to beat Sloane Stephens. Agnieszka Radwanska was also among the winners as the second round continued at the Premier-level Qatar Total Open.
On Wednesday afternoon, the 1st epic of the Qatar Total Open took place, as Klara Zakopalova battled two hours and 41 minutes and saved four match points to beat No.16 seed Sloane Stephens and move through to the third round of the Premier-level tournament, 46 76(5) 76(5).
Stephens, who was coming off an Australian season that saw her win 10 of 13 matches and more than half her ranking from No.38 to No.17, seemed headed for a straight set win as she built a 64 53 lead and served for the match – she even had three match points in that game. But Zakopalova fought them all off, as well as a fourth match point in the next game, and took the set in a tie-break.
The story was similar in the third set as Stephens was up a break three times, including serving for the match again at 6-5, but again Zakopalova and her powerful, flat ground game were just too solid.
Zakopalova’s reward for the victory is a third round match-up with No.3 seed Maria Sharapova. Attach with video.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8RILsHYT6o[/youtube]
Read also:
http://en.africatopsports.com/2013/02/13/tennisqatar-1st-round-wraps-up-cruises-by-stephens/