by World number 341 Francesca Curmi served up another upset in Liepaja, this time against seventh seed and world number 205 Lucie Havlickova. She secures a ticket to the quarter-finals in the W60 tournament in Liepaja, after blazing through another comeback.
A Set Apiece
Havlickova opened on serve and though she served up a double fault, she held relatively comfortably. On the other hand, Curmi’s first service game was under pressure and though she cancelled a break point to force a deuce, the Czech secured the consecutive points to earn an early break. It appeared to be one way traffic as though games went to deuce, the Czech opened a 5-0 lead with a double break in hand. Curmi forced through multiple deuces to get on the scoreboard, but she could not break Havlickova’s serve in the first set, allowing the Czech to secure it 6-1.
Francesca Curmi opened the second set on serve and appeared to have reset well by holding on serve before breaking to love. The two players then settled into a chain of breaks. The Czech broke straight back to arrest Curmi’s momentum. However, two double faults marred Havlickova’s next service game, handing the break straight back to Curmi and thus opening a 1-3 lead in favour of the Maltese. Despite this, the Czech player redeemed herself in the next game, pushing Curmi deep behind the baseline to secure the break back with a pacey open forehand. However, it was Curmi who secured the final break of the set to open a 2-4 lead. The two players held serve from then on, with neither facing a breakpoint. Curmi strode to close the set 6-3 and thus forced a decider.
The Deciding Set
Havlickova opened on serve and immediately faced two breakpoints. Though Curmi went long with a forehand, Havlickova sliced a short backhand to relinquish the break, prompting a smash of the ball in frustration. Though Havlickova attempted a few variations in height to throw Curmi off her game, she was long with a couple of hits, before smashing into the net allowing Curmi to hold without facing breakpoint.
The Czech appeared to have gotten into her head, with the first serve still misfiring and losing control over her forehand, she handed a double break to Curmi who at this point opened a 3-0 lead. However, Havlickova steamrolled the returns on Curmi’s next service game to earn three breakpoints. Curmi hit a backhand into the net to hand over the break, allowing Havlickova to get on the scoreboard 1-3.
The Czech started hitting the winners with a bit more confidence and the open forehand worked well, before getting some luck with the net to secure 40-0 lead. However, the Czech player appeared to still be in her head missing a few first serves, before smashing a point into the net and missing a return to allow Curmi to get to deuce. Multiple deuces followed, but the Czech stuck the hold to maintain just the difference of one break, 2-3.
Curmi held relatively comfortably before another tight encounter followed on Havlickova’s serve. A miscued backhand down the line and a long forehand handed Curmi the comfort of a double break at 2-5. At this point Curmi needed to only hold her nerve as she served for the match. The Czech attempted ramp up the aggression by moving into the court on any second serve. Despite going toe to toe, Curmi secured the first match point with an open forehand that just clipped the line. The Czech then went for broke with a backhand down the line that missed the mark to hand over the match to Curmi, 6-1; 3-6; 2-6.
Next Match
The victory takes Francesca Curmi into the quarter-finals. She next faces fourteenth seed and world number 283 Cristina Dinu who upset second seed and world number 124 Sujeong Jang. Dinu won the match in straight sets 7-5, 6-2.
At thirty years of age, the Romanian is no stranger to winning titles on clay, having racked up a total of 21 titles on the surface. However, none have come at this calibre of tournament and though she has experience on her side, Curmi will use the recent form to muster another upset in Liepaja.
Photo: Deea Buzdugan
