American tennis superstar Venus Williams crashed out of the China Open on Monday, losing for the second week in a row to talented Russian teen Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
American tennis superstar Venus Williams crashed out of the China Open on Monday, losing for the second week in a row to talented Russian teen Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
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Williams, the third seed here, was looking to avenge her loss to the 18-year-old Russian at last week's Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, but never found her rhythm and surrendered meekly in three sets, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
The 29-year-old Williams - who struggled on Saturday in her first round win over another Russian, Vera Dushevina - clawed her way through the first set despite erratic play, closing it out with a blistering forehand down the line.
But Pavlyuchenkova, ranked 39 in the world, remained undaunted, breaking Williams - who had 14 double faults - to go up 3-1 in the second set and cruising to force the third-set decider.
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| Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova |
She again broke Williams in the first game of the third set and dictated play for much of the set, with the seven-time Grand Slam winner failing to find her range, spraying ground strokes both into the net and beyond the baseline.
The Russian, serving for the match at 5-2, battled her nerves, double faulting to lose the game at love. Williams held her serve, but Pavlyuchenkova steadied herself to close out the victory with a forehand winner.
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