by Maltese duo Francesca Curmi and Elaine Genovese were defeated in straight sets (7-5, 7-5) by the French pairing of Astrid Lew and Jenny Limin in the Round of 16 in W25 Perigueux. Despite the loss in women’s doubles, Francesca Curmi still can go further in the women’s singles tournament, where she faces Spaniard Claudia Hoste Ferrer.
How the Match Unfolded
The first set had a topsy-turvy start with both sides making the most of breakpoint opportunities. It was Lew & Lim who opened on serve, which they backed up with an immediate break to open a 2-0 lead. However, the Maltese duo broke straight back before evening the score to 2-2, with a hold on serve. However, momentum swung back in favour of the hosts who raced to a 5-2 lead.
Despite this, Genovese & Curmi forced another shift by extending the set to 5-3, and in doing so piled pressure on Lim & Lew to serve out the set. Genovese & Curmi then erased two set points to earn a deuce and force a deciding point, which they won. They sealed the comeback by evening the score to 5-5 on serve, thus extending the set. However, Lim & Lew put yet another twist in the tale by holding out on serve, before breaking to love and thus securing the set 7-5.
Though the two started the second set evenly matched, it was the French pair that secured the first break, allowing them to nudge forward towards victory at 3-1. Two straight breaks followed enabling the Lim & Lew to stay out front 4-2, before they held serve to nudge to 5-2, piling pressure on the Maltese duo to stay in the match on serve.
The Maltese reduced the deficit to 5-4, but Lim & Lew eyed three match points in the next game. Curmi & Genovese were true to their ‘never say die’ attitude and erased all three, before taking the deciding point to even the score at 5-5 and extend the second set as well. Despite this, the French pair of Lew & Lim stormed ahead on serve before completing the break to secure the set 7-5, and thus the match in straight sets 7-5, 7-5.
Curmi Eyes Progression in Singles
The defeat eliminates Francesca Curmi and Elaine Genovese from the doubles’ tournament. However, Francesca Curmi still has a chance to go further in the main draw of the singles’ tournament. She faces Spaniard Claudia Hoste Ferrer in the first round of the draw on Wednesday.
