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PAN PACIFIC OPEN > TOKYO > HARD > TIER I > R16
A Tale Of Two Serves
There are rising stars that Marion has shown she has the measure of, stars such as Anna Chakvetadze and Tamira Paszek.
Then there are rising stars who seem to have the measure of Marion, such as Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska. The latter defeating Marion 6-2 6-3 in Tokyo today.
Marion quickly found herself down 3-0 to the fearless youth, before debuting on the scoreboard with a love game at 3-1.
A vexed hold from Marion, and two Swift holds from Radwanska brought the score to 5-2.
Needing to hold serve to keep the set alive, Marion stumbled from one 2nd serve to the next, and lost the set on a double fault.
The 1st set scoreline gave little cause for joy, but there where at least some encouraging signs as the set deepened.
Proof of Marion’s fighting spirirt was in evidence as she broke the top 10 newbie’s serve at the beginning of the 2nd set. At this stage of the match it was important that Marion hold her next service game.
That service game started unpromisingly for Marion, down 15-40. However she battled back, and twice had game point. Unfortunately Radwanska took full advantage of Marion’s copious 2nd serves, to immediately retrieve the break. 1-1.
Maybe it was the disappointment of losing the previous game that allowed Radwanska to quickly fire out a love hold for 2-1. Serving nearly eighty percent of first serves in, certainly made hassle-free holds possible for Radwanska.
Nevertheless, Marion actually second served her way to a love game of her own, for 2-2.
Unable to get any change out of the impregnable Radwanska serve, Marion at least kept herself in the match for 3-3, followed by a Radwanska hold for 4-3 on serve.
Unfortuntely hope of a match comeback fell apart as Marion offered up more second serves and a fourth and fifth double fault of the match.
Radwanska only needed to serve out. Quickly earning three match points, she sealed her third win over Marion in twelve months on the 2nd of those matchpoints.
The Pole kept her game intact today, and picked on Marion’s serving frailties.
With Marion out of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, let's look forward to better fortune during the coming indoor season.
AP
