Two Guys Sports
Bruce BostwickWorld #1 Ivanovic Barely Survives Second Round Match with Natalie Dechy
June 25th 2008 20:56
Ana Ivanovic eeked out a hard fought victory over 29 year old Nathalie Dechy of France.
World #1 woman Ana Ivanovic was two points away from being ousted from Wimbledon in the second round. At that point she hit a shot that crashed into the very top of the net and bounced to the other side of the net. The luck had smiled on her and possibly served as a wake up call. She finished off that game to tie the second set at five all. She had already lost the first set 7-6. Did Ivanovic let her number one ranking get inside her head and over think everything? Did she just simply look past her World #97 ranked opponent Frenchwoman Dechy? It is entirely possible. Dechy has had an injured hamstring since the French Open, and hasn’t won back to back singles matches in a long time. Whatever the case may be, Ivanovic was not smiling anywhere near as much as she normally does. She was in jeopardy of …..
Dechy would win another hard fought game to send it to 6-5. Ivanovic at this point looked out of sorts. She was missing shots she would normally make. Now it all depended on her serve, and what a serve it was. Her first serve could not be returned, the next two were returned but were no good. Then she hit a fault, but followed it with a serve that was volleyed until she laid a shot down just on the other side of the net to win the game and force a tie-break. Ivanovic seemed to have turned it around.
Dechy was serving to start the tie-break, but Ivanovic won the first two points. Dechy’s serve helped her get the next two back to make it 2-2. Dechy then double faulted, 3-2. Ivanovic’s serve, she seemed to have control suddenly and drove it to 5-2. Dechy’s turn for service again. Ivanovic sent one long, 5-3. On the next point Dechy went to swing at a shot that she probably should have let go out, but with her indecision she just barely hit it with the edge of her racquet, point Ivanovic. Ana would now serve for match point, the first serve was good and unreturnable. Set to Ivanovic – 6-7, 7-6. Can she stay on track and turn things around now after being just two match points away from losing?
As the third set started Ivanovic was up 40-15, but then let it get to Advantage Dechy after her fourth double fault of the match. Her serve was working much better at this point in the match, regardless of the double fault. She sent a couple more unreturnable balls over the net and was up 1-0 in the third set. Ivanovic’s forehand took over in the next game, but it still went to Advantage Dechy, when Ivanovic’s focused lagged a little on back to back shots. Next a shot was called out, but Ivanovic challenged, and won, so they had to replay the point. Ivanovic hit it into the net and Dechy still won the point and the game. On Ivanovic’s serve she controlled the game, winning it without surrending a point, 2-1 Ivanovic now.
Dechy came back and got the next game to send it to 2-2. On Ivanovic’s service she hit three straight aces, but then sent a return into the net, 40-15. She followed that with another double fault, and another return into the net, to send it to Deuce. She was then out of position and hit one wide, Advantage Dechy. Dechy then sent one into the net, back to Deuce. Another Ace, Advantage Ivanovic. Dechy sent one long and gave the game to Ivanovic, 3-2. Ivanovic would then break Dechy’s serve to go up 4-2. Dechy forced a break point on the next serve, but Ivanovic sent it to Deuce. Back to break point for Dechy. She indeed did break to go to 4-3. Ivanovic broke her serve again, 5-3. Ivanovic was now serving for the match, she went down 0-40 for triple break point. She managed to score the next two points, but then Dechy broke the serve, 5-4. Dechy did not want to go away, and neither did the service breaks, or unforced errors.
As Dechy served it was becoming clear this match was probably going to go the full distance. She went up 40-0, but then let her come back to 40-15 before winning the game to tie it up at 5-5. On Ivanovic’s serve it went to 15-15, as Dechy charged the net her hat came off as she hit the winner. Ivanovic said the hat falling was a distraction and the judge made them replay the point! Ivanovic would win the replay of the point. It seemed to be the one thing that could shake the 29 year old Dechy as she lost three straight points, while no longer wearing her hat, to lose the game. Ivanovic was now up 6-5 in the final set. If I were Dechy at this point I would put the hat back on, maybe it is what held the power. You know, like Frosty the Snowman’s hat. Back from the commercial break, and still no hat.
29 year old Nathalie Dechy pushed World #1 Ana Ivanovic to the limit.
Dechy serving. . . she would hit one long to go down 0-15. Then after a long rally Ivanovic would lay down a shot that was out of reach of the net-charging Dechy, 0-30. Ivanovic then hit one wide to make it 15-30. The next serve would be returned long, 30-30. We were now past the three hour mark in the match, it was a glorious marathon of great tennis. On the next serve Ivanovic used her powerful backhand to set up mach point, 30-40. Dechy still wasn’t giving in and sent it to Deuce. She then hit one long on the next point, Advantage Ivanovic for Match Point. Ana then sent one wide, back to Deuce. Her next serve was not returnable, Advantage Dechy. Her next serve went right past Ivanovic to tie it up at 6-6.
Ivanovic to serve, she one the game and sent it to 7-6. Now all she needed to do was break one more Dechy service. Her service started off well again, getting it to 40-0. On the next point Ivanovic hit one just wide to send it to 7-7. Ivanovic hit one that was called out, but overruled by the judge, so Dechy challenged the call. The ball was in. One of Ivanovic’s next shots was not though, sending it to 15-15. The next serve was called out, but Ivanovic challenged it, and it indeed was in, 30-15. The next point was won with her forehand again, 40-15. Dechy sent her return on the next serve into the net, Ivanovic was back up 8-7. In order to win though she was going to have to win two games in a row. Dechy’s service, she jumped ahead 30-0. Ivanovic hit one that was called out, but she challenged and lost, it was out, 40-0. Ivanovic then got a point, 40-15. Dechy’s next serve stayed down and Ivanovic swung right over it, sending the set to 8-8.
Ivanovic’s serve got off to a 30-0 lead, followed by an Ace to make it 40-0. The next point was amazing, Ana’s shot hit the net, but Dechy recovered and got it back over the net, then Ivanovic hit it wide, 40-15. Ivanovic took the gae on the next serve though, 9-8. Ivanovic seemed to turn on the afterburners now, going up 40-0 on Dechy’s service. Nathalie then came back and won the next point. Double match point is now left. Ivanovic hit a beautiful forehand to win the mset 10-8. The crowd gave both competitors a rousing round of applause, and waited for Dechy to stand and acknowledge them before they cheered wildly for her. It was an outstanding 3 hour and 23 minute match full of excitement. In the end Ivanovic came out on top, as expected, but no one expected it to be this hard.
Ana Ivanovic 6 7 10
v.
Nathalie Dechy 7 6 8
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