by Suzan Lamens and Bibiane Schoofs eliminated Elena Christofi and Francesca Curmi by winning a deciding tie-break 10-7. The number three seeds will contest the quarter-final in the W100 Maspalomas Gran Canaria in Spain. Christofi & Curmi have also ended their commitments in Singles.
Lamens & Schoofs Bag First Set
The two teams opened with a tight match. The Dutch pairing earned two breakpoints, but Christofi and Curmi cancelled both to force a deciding point which they won to secure an opening hold. Lamens and Schoofs evened the score in the next game before mounting an attack on Christofi & Curmi’s serve to earn a break at 2-1.
Returning on serve, the number three seeds Lamens and Schoofs, had somewhat of a disastrous serving game. Three double-faults gifted valuable breakpoints to Christofi and Curmi. However, the Dutch pairing still found a way to force a deuce and ultimately secure the hold at 3-1.
Tight games followed with both teams having opportunities to break but neither managed, with those on serve often winning the deciding points after forcing deuces. Lamens & Schoofs won their final service game to nudge forward 5-3, which dealt Christofi & Curmi the task of holding to stay in the set. A 30-0 lead was cancelled by the Lamens & Schools who raced to a 30-40 score. A double fault handed the set to the Dutch pair 6-3.
Christofi & Curmi Dominate Second Set
Having fallen down a set, the Greek-Maltese pairing opened the second in the best possible way. They broke the Dutch pairing’s serve in the opening game before holding to love to open a 2-0 lead.
They kept the party going by earning a double-break in the next game, though aided by two double faults from the Dutch pairing, before holding the next game to cruise to a 4-0 lead, without facing a single break point.
Christofi & Curmi were on course for a third break in the next game, but Lamens & Schoofs recovered the deficit and won the deciding point to get on the scoreboard in the second set. However, they could not force a break in the next game and at 5-1 down. Their serve was broken once more to end the set 6-1, in favour of Christofi & Curmi and send the match to a deciding tie-break.
Deciding Tie-Break
Lamens & Schoofs opened with determination, securing a 4-0 lead. However, Christofi & Curmi reeled them in to even the score at 5-5. Despite this, the number three-seeds won the next four points, earning the comfort of four match points at 9-5. Although Christofi & Curmi reduced the gap to 9-7 (aided by a double fault from the Dutch pair), they could not extend the match. Lamens & Schoof ended the match with the next point to win the tie-break 10-7 and secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Next Match and Singles Commitments
The number-three seeds will contest Sada Nahimana and Prarthana Thombare for a place in the semi-finals. The latter progressed after getting the better of Italian duo Nuria Brancaccio and Aurora Zantedeschi in straight-sets, 6-4, 6-4.
It ends the journey in the W100 Maspalomas Gran Canaria for Elena Christofi and Francesca Curmi, since the duo had also completed their commitments in singles earlier in the week. Eleni Christofi was eliminated by Briton Emily Appleton in the qualifying draw, 6-4, 6-4. On the other hand, Francesca Curmi’s opening main draw match against number four seed Sara Errani ended in a straight-set win for the Italian veteran, 6-1, 6-4.
Photos via IG: Bibiane Schoofs / Elena Christofi / Suzan Lamens / Francesca Curmi
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