By Erik Gudris | Saturday, February 1, 2014

 

In only their second career meeting, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova won an all-Russian battle against Maria Sharapova in the GDF Open Suez semifinals.

Photo Credit: Christopher Levy

Once again, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia did it the hard way at the Open GDF SUEZ event in Paris.

Having reached Saturday's semifinals by winning her earlier rounds all in three set matches, Pavlyuchenkova was probably expecting yet another when she faced top seed Maria Sharapova.

Sharapova jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead in the opening set. The top seed looked poised to perhaps make a quick afternoon out of her second time career meeting against Pavlyuchenkova. Though Pavlyuchenkova managed to level the set at 4-all, it was Sharapova who broke serve to take the set 6-4.

But Pavlyuchenkova didn't go away. She took hold of an early break to soon claim a 3-1 lead in the second set. Sharapova did pressure Pavlyuchenkova serving at 4-3, but Pavlyuchenkova bombed in several big serves to extend her lead to 5-3.

From there, Pavlyuchenkova went on to close out the set 6-3.

Sharapova sat in silence during the changeover as her new coach Sven Groeneveld talked tactics before the start of the final set. The advice seemed to energize Sharapova as she broke serve in the opening game. Pavlyuchenkova didn't buckle though as she broke right back for 1-all.

The deciding set would soon prove to be a battle of wills from the service line as each woman tried to fight off the increasing pressure each felt. As Pavlyuchenkova continued to find massive serves, especially down the center line, an increasingly exasperated Sharapova could do little to stop her opponent's charge.

Sharapova missed out on a chance to possibly serve for the match when she fought her way to deuce at 4-all. But a pair of overcooked shots from Sharapova allowed Pavlyuchenkova to hold. Now it was up to Sharapova to try and serve her way out of trouble again.

But after Pavlyuchenkova connected on a big backhand return for 15-30, Sharapova offered up a double fault to hand Pavlyuchenkova two match points. Pavlyuchenkova didn't have to do much to win it though as Sharapova tossed in her sixth double fault.

That miscue allowed Pavlyuchenkova the opportunity to celebrate the 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 win and with it a trip to the finals.

The stats proved Pavlyuchenkova played one of her best matches of the new season as she hit 28 winners and only 15 unforced errors. Sharapova racked up more winners at 32 but also more errors, 23 in total.

"I had to serve well," Pavlyuchenkova said later to WTA.com. "I had no choice today, because Maria has one of the best returns on the tour. We played a few years ago and she broke me a lot of times so that was a key for her to win again today, and I just tried to serve the best I could today. It was working well, so I'm very happy with it."

Errani Returns to Paris Final Over Cornet

No. 3 seed Sara Errani dashed the hopes of local fans after reaching her second straight Paris final.

Taking on France's own Alize Cornet, Errani found herself in a tight first set with each player knotted at 4-all. But Errani soon went on to claim the set in a tiebreak 7-6(3).

Cornet responded by breaking Errani's serve three times in the second set. The Frenchwoman eventually took it 6-3. The final set proved a duel to the end. Errani served for the match up 5-4 but was again broken. Soon enough, another tiebreak was necessary to decide the nearly three-hour battle.

Errani held a 5-3 advantage only to watch as a scrambling Cornet fought her way back to 5-all. But, down match point, Cornet tried one drop shot too many as Errani chased it down to hit a final winner. An exultant Errani celebrated the over three hour 7-6(3), 3-6, 7-6(5) victory.

This is the second final at the event in a row for Errani who lost last year to Germany's Mona Barthel.