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Japan’s Akiko Morigami, playing solidly from the baseline,
advanced to the Acura Classic quarterfinals as she eliminated fan
favorite Sania Mirza of India, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, in a match played
before a large crowd on the Grandstand.
Mirza, who entered the main draw as a qualifier, got off to a good
start as she broke Morigami to open the match.
Morigami rebounded to break back and go on to establish a 5-2 lead.
Mirza served to stay in the match and built a 40-0 lead but would
ultimately lose the game and set as she double faulted twice including
on break point.
The second set featured five breaks of serve but the one that mattered
the most came at 4-4 when Mirza broke Morigami to take a 5-4 lead.
Morigami fought off two set points, but Mirza put the third break
point way to tie the match at one set all.
In the third set, Mirza and Morigami exchanged service breaks in
the middle of the set and stayed on serve until Mirza served to
stay in the match as she trailed 5-4.
On the first point of the tenth game, Morigami hit a beautifully
executed drop shot which Mirza just returned but hit it wide to
fall behind 0-15.
Mirza hit a backhand into the net to go down 0-30. On the next
point Morigami gained match point as Mirza sent a forehand long.
With three match points, Morigami, playing with confidence, blasted
a backhand down the line winner to finish the match, which took
two hours and two minutes.
- Morigami advances to a quarterfinal meeting against Russia’s
Anna Chakvetadze.
- Morigami now leads Mirza 2-1 in career head-to-head meetings.
- Morigami is playing in her third Acura Classic.
- Morigami is ranked 61 in the world.
- Mirza is ranked 59 in the world.
- Mirza is now 22-13 in 2005.
- Mirza was making her Acura Classic debut.
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