Kasatkina overcomes Konta’s challenge in marathon match
dubai — It’s not often that matches at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships have started after midnight.
But Wednesday night was not an ordinary one. In fact, it was a night that would linger on. A night that produced one of the longest matches in the history of the Dubai championships.
When Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza stepped onto the Centre Court for her round of 16 clash against American teenager Cici Bellis, both players could have been forgiven for expecting empty stands.
After all, it was 12:05 Thursday morning when they entered the court and yet a sizeable crowd remained there to cheer them on. It was a sight that warmed Muguruza’s heart and she couldn’t thank them enough after finishing her match at 1:51 in the morning — a 6-3 7-5 win over the 18-year-old Bellic.
“Yes I am so happy and surprised that people stayed here so late for this match. You guys were amazing. Thank you,” Muguruza said after winning the one-hour-41-minute game against Bellis. Muguruza’s match was pushed back by two girls who simply kept fighting for every point in the previous match.
Emerging Russian star Daria Kasatkina staged an incredible fightback after losing the first set, saving two match points in the second set tie-break to stun British seventh seed Johanna Konta in a round of 16 clash that lasted two hours and 59 minutes. Kasatkina’s unforgettable 4-6 7-6 (8/6) 6-2 win over Konta was the fifth longest women’s singles match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships since 2008.
“It was such a tough match. We spent like three hours on the court, but felt like one hour on a court because I was so much in the match,” Kasatkina said after the match.
“But now I feel a bit weird because it’s done. It was such a big battle, such a big fight. So I’m just happy that I survived.” That win earned Kasatkina a quarterfinal clash with compatriot Elena Vesnina. “I’m still young. Yeah, I have still some power, some energy. But, of course, we will see tomorrow because now I’m under adrenaline, so I don’t feel anything. Actually, I’m ready to go and play another one!”
Konta, on the other hand, rued the missed the chances. “It would have been nice to have taken one of the match points, however that’s part of the game,” she said after the defeat.
“So I think I can only really look back on this match, obviously not now immediately, it has just finished and it’s quite late, but just to be able to look back on it, take the good things, because I did do a lot of good things, then learn from the things I can try to do better.” Konta was pleased with her week in Dubai, though.
“I think the conditions and the courts here are actually quite similar to Indian Wells, which is a great preparation. Obviously it’s a strong draw. It’s a strong draw every year. So it’s a great tournament to play in that respect,” she said.
rituraj@khaleejtimes.com