Serena Williams Crashes Out Of China Open
09 October 2009
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Serena Williams may be poised to take over the number one spot on Monday but she has crashed out of the China Open.
Facing Nadia Petrova and expected to win the opening set was a poor display for the American in the opening set as she was broke twice for the momentum to swing in the favour of her opponent.
And Petrova took full advantage as she sealed the opening set 6-4. But there was a fight back from Williams who took the second set 6-3.
Into the third and the pair went head to head matching each other with every strike of the ball. Unable to break the deadlock between the pair there was a final set tie-break.
But it was all Petrova in the early part of the tie-break as she opened up a 5-0 lead over Williams. But as she faced match point a dubious line call gave Williams a life-line.
And she took it to battle back to level. But Petrova's nerves didn't falter as she pulled ahead at 6-5 to gain another match point.
But there was more controversy followed as Williams' cross court shot was wrongly called and the point had to be played again. But Petrova didn't waste her chance this time wrapping up the match 6-4 3-6 7-6 to reach the quarter finals.
Speaking to the BBC after the match Williams said: "I ran into a girl today who has never played so good in her life.
"I don't feel like I ever got into high gear ... I felt like in the second set I got one break and then I just made sure I held serve so I could go to a third set."
Agnieszka Radwanska battled back against Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez to eventually win 4-6 6-4 6-2, she will now face Elena Dementieva.
Vera Zvonareva, who saw off Flavia Pennetta 6-3 5-7 7-5, will now face Marion Bartoli who saw off Shuai Zhang 6-1 6-4.
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