Petra
Martic is still without a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) title since turning
pro in July 2008.
But
her gusty performance in the opening day of the BMW Malaysian Open has given
her the confidence to look at the rest of the week with renewed optimism.
Though the fifth seed and world
number 66 of Croatia was taken to three sets by unseeded Erika Sema of Japan at
the Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Club, she is looking ahead and hopes to
progress far in the WTA event.
The Japanese World No. 138 could
have created an upset but the Croat managed to stay composed after the first
set loss to eventually win the match 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.
“I didn’t know my opponent so only
thing I could do is focus on my own play. But I wasn’t happy in the first set.
I didn’t hold serve which was disappointing,” said Martic.
“It was a long match plus the heat
wasn’t favourable. I flew here from Dubai but it was not this hot there.
Playing in the heat is not easy but it is the same for both players.
“I had to more aggressive and saw
the results of it. I could hold serve more often and that was crucial,” she
added.
Martic
began playing tennis at age 5 when mother introduced her to the sport. The
baseliner whose favorite shot is serve and favorite surface is hard court is
capable of playing good tennis when sets her mind to it.
Thus
not even a break in play due to intermittent rain could douse the spirit of the
Croatian.
“I wasn’t happy with the rain as I
was in a good momentum,” she added.
The Croat had called on her coach
during the third set but dismissed that she was seeking to change anything in
particular to her game. “I just wanted to get some encouragement.”
Both players took turns to break each
other’s serve in the first set with it being a normal affair until the fifth
and sixth game. Martic broke serve yet again but Sema was keeping within
touching distance in the eighth game. She then held serve for only the second
time in the first set and broke Martic’s serve to win the set 6-4.
The second set went the totally opposite
despite starting the same way as it was Martic breaking Sema’s serve in the
first game. Both players managed to hold their serves for the remaining games
but that one break proved decisive as Martic took the set 6-4 to force a third.
In the third and final set both players
tried to out rally each other but remained cautious when serving. Martic could
have broken Sema’s serve on multiple occasions but eagerness to finish the game
off was hampering any real progress.
However she did hold her nerves and break
Sema’s serve in the seventh game.
However Sema broke her serve in 10th
game to draw level at 5-5 before the rain interrupted play. But Martic held her
nerve to finish off the match.
Meanwhile earlier in the day Thai lass
Nudnida Luangnam defeated Elena Bovina of Russia to take up one of the four
qualifier places. She will meet sixth seed Ayumi Morita of Japan in the first
round.
Meanwhile the Pliskova sisters, Karolina
and Kristyna, of Czech Republic both made into the main draw after defeating
Elena Bogdan of Romania and Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand respectively. Karolina
will meet Chang Kai-Chen of Chinese Taipei while Kristyna will play Iryna
Bremond of France in the first round of the BMW Malaysian Open.
Qualifying top seed Hsieh Su-Wei of Chinese
Taipei also made into to the main draw as she defeated Ayu Fani Damatanti of
Indonesia. She will next play Great Britain’s Anne Keothvong, who is the
seventh seed.
Meanwhile earlier in the day Olivia
Rogowska of Russia defeated Elitsa Kostova of Bulgaria to be the first player
into the second round. She will now meet either Jelena Dokic of Australia or
Kristina Mladenovic of France who are scheduled to play later tonight.
