Pennetta to meet Zheng in ASB Classic final
Finalists have different paths to the title match
January 6, 2012
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China's Zheng Jie came back from a 0-5 deficit in the first set to defeat #3 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia to reach the final of the ASB Classic.
The Russian raced to a big lead before Zheng Jie started to play herself into the match. She told herself, "I don't want to finish like this" and vowed to keep fighting. Soon, she started to find her shots and played more aggressively. The #3 seed took the first set 6-2 but Zheng was playing better and soon took the lead in the second set. She started to win the long rallies and Kuznetsova didn't appear to be moving with the same spring in her step. The Russian blamed a bit of tightness and not fitness for the change but Zheng took advantage and won the second set 6-3. She continued to dictate play in the third and raced to a 5-1 lead. Then, she said she got nervous and Kuznetsova fought back to 5-3 before Zheng Jie closed out the match 2-6 6-3 6-3.
Kuznetsova said she was impressed by Zheng's play. "“My opponent played a great match –
the best match I've seen her play.” She said she was disappointed, but not in her result. "It's a very good start to the season. I had bigger expectations - not in results but in my game."
Zheng will face Italy's Flavia Pennetta in the final who says she "played a perfect match" against German Angelique Kerber. Pennetta, a finalist in 2010, said she certainly had thoughts in her mind about her loss to Kerber in last year's US Open semifinals and was surprised how quick her win was today. Kerber never got into the match and lost under an hour, 6-1 6-2.
Tomorrow's singles final begins at 1pm.
