Playing on Centre Court for the first time, ladies’ sixth seed Ana Ivanovic survived three match points to defeat Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova in a glamorous contest, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.
Vaidisova, seeded 14 at The Championships but as of last week back in the top 10 of the WTA Tour rankings, broke French Open finalist Ivanovic early in the first two sets of the quarter-final match and seemed on course for a comfortable win. However, she proved unable to sustain her high-voltage style of play long enough to suppress her equally hard-hitting Serbian opponent.
Both players were playing in their first Wimbledon quarter-finals and took time to settle into the match. But having broken 19-year-old Ivanovic in the first game and surviving a clutch of deuces to consolidate the break, 18-year-old Vaidisova was able to exploit her power to keep the Serb on the back foot.
Even so, the contest remained close throughout the first set, as Ivanovic used her defensive slice backhand to keep within striking distance of the Czech. A brief rain delay at 4-3 did little to hurt Vaidisova’s momentum, and she fired a serve up the centre to secure the opening set at the first chance.
The start of the second set mirrored that of the first, with Ivanovic losing her serve in the first game. In the next game, fearless baseline play enabled Vaidisova to save a sixth break point of the match. But this time a forehand winner presented the Serb with her seventh chance to break and she finally secured it on a lunging half-volley that the Czech player was unable to run down.
Games went on serve until 2-2, when Ivanovic called for a trainer to attend to her taped knee. Vaidisova responded with a drop shot, and although Ivanovic was tentative in reply, she subsequently produced an ace and an unplayable serve to the body to hold. Even Vaidisova, the designated target, could only applaud the shot.
Perhaps she was still shellshocked, for Vaidisova lost her next service game to love. A double fault didn’t help, but Hawk-Eye chipped in to confirm an Ivanovic forehand had touched the baseline. With errors spraying from the Czech’s racquet, the Serb comfortably held serve for 5-2 and broke Vaidisova with ease to force a deciding set.
The match appeared to have settled on its course when Vaidisova consolidated a break for 3-1. Ivanovic held on for 2-4 and, serving at 15-30, was delivered the sort of luck that can turn a match. Her forehand volley hit the netcord and, having considered the options, dropped to Vaidisova’s side of the court. It could have been another break point for the Czech, but instead it was 30-30.
True to form Vaidisova wasn’t fazed and held easily for 5-3. When Ivanovic, serving, miss-hit a forehand the Czech was presented with two match points. The Serb held her nerve to save the first on a long baseline rally, and the second with a big serve wide to Vaidisova’s backhand that set up a forehand to the open court. Ivanovic prevailed in a volleying dual to earn the advantage, but lost it in an exchange of backhand slices.
A wild forehand by Ivanovic gave Vaidisova her third match point and when the Czech failed to capitalise on a weak second serve, fates shifted. Ivanovic held for 5-4 and as an air of panic returned to Vaidisova’s game she was broken to 15 for 5-5.
Vaidisova kept Ivanovic on the run, but now the Serb was getting it all back. An unplayable serve to the forehand saw Ivanovic put her nose ahead for the first time in the set, 6-5. When a Vaidisova volley hit the tape and stayed on her side it seemed that the tennis gods had indeed spoken. Facing a second match point the Czech capitulated with a double fault.
Ivanovic plays Venus Williams for a place in the final.
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