Myskina Wins Battle of 17-15

In a match that Acura Classic fans will not soon forget, third-seeded Anastasia Myskina defeated fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva in a thrilling semifinal match, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (15).

Myskina, who won the French Open earlier this year, advances to the 2004 Acura Classic singles final against fourth-seeded Lindsay Davenport.

Sunday’s final, which is sold out, is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Sunday on Stadium Court at the La Costa Resort and Spa.

Before a near-capacity crowd of 6,386 at the La Costa Resort and Spa, Myskina won the first set as she lost only six points on her serve.

In the second set, after exchanging service breaks early in the first set, Myskina would serve for the match at 6-5, but Zvonareva would break to send the set to a tiebreaker.

Zvonareva jumped out to a 5-1 lead and went on to win the tiebreaker 7-4 to knot the match at one set all.

Myskina took a 5-2 lead with an early service break and would serve for the match at 5-4. Zvonareva refused to lose as she saved a match point to tie the set at 5-5.

Myskina held serve at love to take a 6-5 lead, but Zvonareva came back to hold serve at love to send the third set to a deciding tiebreaker.

With the crowd giving the players multiple ovations during the tiebreaker, Myskina and Zvonareva played the longest tiebreaker on the WTA Tour this year and the longest third-set tiebreaker in the history of the WTA Tour.

Myskina save a total of nine match points, eight of those coming in the tiebreaker.

When Zvonareva sailed a backhand down the line wide, the crowd erupted and both players hugged at the net.

• Myskina is now 1-1 with Zvonareva in head-to-head meetings.
• Myskina is playing in her second Acura Classic. She reached the third round here in 2002.
• Myskina is ranked fifth in the world.
• Myskina’s 2004 match record improves to 32-8.
• Zvonareva is ranked 15 in the world.
• Zvonareva was playing in her first Acura Classic.
• Zvonareva’s 2004 match record is now 35-15.
• Zvonareva was attempting to reach her second WTA Tour final of the year. Earlier this year she won the tournament in Memphis.

              A point-by-point recap of the third-set tiebreak

Myskina*                                  Zvonareva

    1                                                      0          Zvonareva hit a backhand drop shot in net.
    2                                                      0          Myskina hit a crosscourt backhand winner.
    2                                                      1          Zvonareva hit a backhand crosscourt drop shot winner.
    3                                                      1          Zvonareva hit a backhand crosscourt which clipped the tape and fell wide
    3                                                      2          Myskina hit a forehand which hit the tape and fell back on her side.
    3                                                      3          Zvonareva hit a crosscourt drop shot winner.
    3                                                      4          Myskina hit a backhand service return wide.
    3                                                      5          Myskina hit a forehand volley in net.
    3                                                      6          Zvonareva hit a forehand down the line winner.
    4                                                      6          Myskina hit a forehand crosscourt winner.
    5                                                      6          Myskina hit a forehand down the line winner.
    6                                                      6          Zvonareva hit a crosscourt forehand in net.
    6                                                      7          Myskina hit an overhead smash in net.
    7                                                      7          Myskina hit a backhand down the line winner.
    7                                                      8          Zvonareva hit a swinging backhand volley down the line winner.
    8                                                      8          Myskina hit a 78 mph service winner.
    8                                                      9          Zvonareva hit a backhand down the line long.
    9                                                    10          Zvonareva served and came net to hit crosscourt forehand volley winner.
  10                                                    10          Myskina hit forehand crosscourt volley winner.
  10                                                    11          Myskina was jammed and hit a forehand service return wide.
  11                                                    11           Zvonareva hit a service return backhand long.
  12                                                    11           Zvonareva hit a backhand crosscourt wide.
  12                                                    12           Myskina stretched wide and hit backhand crosscourt wide.
  12                                                    13           Myskina hit a backhand crosscourt in net.
  13                                                    13           Myskina hit a backhand overhead down the line winner.
  14                                                    13           Zvonareva hit a running forehand long.
  14                                                    14           Zvonareva hit a down the line forehand winner.
  15                                                    14           Zvonareva hit a down the line backhand long.
  15                                                    15           Myskina hit a forehand down the line long.
  16                                                    15           Myskina hit a high backhand net cord volley winner.
  17                                                    15           Zvonareva hit a backhand down the line wide.

*Myskina served first in the tiebreak.

 

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