Svetlana Kuznetsova Saves Four Match Points At French Open

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By Lauren Lynch
Photo Credit: Costantini/Internazionali BNL D'Italia.com

(May 26, 2010) Svetlana Kuznetsova smacked the rim of her racket against the soles of her sneakers as if trying to shake some life into her lethargic legs while teetering on the edge of elimination.

A dismal clay-court season was about to come to a painful end as the reigning Roland Garros champion faced four match points against Andrea Petkovic on Court 1 today.

Petkovic was poised to reach the French Open third round for the first time in a victory that would have sent Kuznetsova out of the top 10 for the first time in four years. But the 41st-ranked German blinked and Kuznetsova would not crack.

Kuznetsova fought off the four match points, won four consecutive games to seize the second set then held on for a nervy, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory.

Match point moments sometimes seem to last for an eternity, in Kuznetsova's case it seemed to span the length of her life. Kuznetsova conceded she was tight, but was so busy envisioning her life pass before her eyes, she was able to shake off the nerves and fight back to reach the third round for the seventh straight year.

"I was so nervous I could not move," said Kuznetsova, who squandered her chance to serve out the final set at 5-3, blew three match points, but broke to finally end the match. "Roland Garros means so much to me. I passed whole life today."

It was a win more about survival than revival. Petkovic, who has not surpassed the second round in seven career major appearances, tightened up and Kuznetsova wisely enabled her opponent to implode.

"I knew she would get tight and give me a few easy balls," Kuznetsova said. "I just bring the ball back and tried to get her backhand, definitely, because her forehand is much much better."

The 5-foot-11 Petkovic overpowered Kuznetsova at times today. Whipping her forehand into every corner of the court she built a 6-4, 5-4 lead and served for the most important victory of her career.

A disconsolate Kuznetsova missed three consecutive forehands to hand Petkovic triple match point. The match seemed like a foregone conclusion at that point.

But Petkovic tightened and stumbled before crossing the finish line. She sprayed a forehand wide on her second match point and followed with a backhand that missed the mark.

Kuznetsova shanked a forehand long and Petkovic had a fourth match point. Petkovic put a backhand into the net.

Given a new lease on life, Kuznetsova crushed a forehand return winner for break point. Petkovic pounded away at the Kuznetsova backhand, but paid the price when Kuznetsova hit a backhand pass down the line to break for 5-all.

Consolidating with a love hold for 6-5, Kuznetsova saved a game point in the 12th game. She snapped off an easy overhead winner to break again and collect the second set, 7-5.

Building a 5-3 lead in the third, Kuznetsova squandered three match points, but broke in the next game to seal an emotional win.

A relieved Kuznetsova has registered more wins during the first four days of this French Open than she had in the previous two months. Kuznetsova, who posted a 17-3 clay-court record leading up to Paris last year, arrived in the City of Light with a 1-3 record on dirt this season.

Given a new lease on life today, she will face 30th-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko for a spot in the round of 16. Kirilenko beat Kuznetsova, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, in Rome earlier this month.

She got a reprieve today; Kuznetsova seeks revenge in the third round.

"I lost to Maria in Rome, and I would like to get revenge her," said Kuznetsova.