Mauresmo’s victory lack lustre.
by bahamaderek on Jan.07, 2009, under Amelie Mauresmo

An exhausted Amelie Mauresmo had to ask how many match points she failed to convert after finally completing her version of ‘The Great Escape’ at the Brisbane International.
The answer was four, all in a spine-tingling 24-point final set tiebreak on Wednesday against French compatriot Julie Coin, a qualifying lucky loser.
Down 2-5 in the third set and poised to become the fifth women’s seed eliminated from the inaugural event before the end of the second round, Mauresmo drew on all her experience and fighting qualities to prevail 5-7 6-2 7-6 (13-11) in a three hour, 14 minute marathon.
The former world No.1 regained a break and started holding her faltering serve but still had to fight the nerves to seal the match against her former junior clubmate who grew up idolising her.
Mauresmo wasted her first match point by double-faulting at 6-4, failed to convert three more and fought off three match points to the world No.95 before eventually taking the gripping encounter when her opponent sliced a backhand long.
“How many match points were saved?,” the astonished 29-year-old asked the media after the 89-minute third set.
It was the longest clash in her 733-match WTA career which has reaped the 2006 Australian Open and Wimbledon titles, but had none of the precision net play long associated with her game. She struggled with all facets of her play, and was consistenly passed at the net. There is no reason to belive that Amelie will win against any higher ranked players in Melbourne.








































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