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Doors opening for Safina


 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:46

World number one Safina, with a debate raging about her worthiness to hold the highest ranking in the women’s game without a grand slam title to her name, reached the third round at Flushing Meadows with a 6-7 (7-5) 6-2 6-3 win over Germany’s Kristina Barrois.

“Another tough day in the office,” Safina said afterwards. “Another day off tomorrow and another match on Saturday.

“There is no problem in the technique, just in my head, so I have to change the chip in here,” she added pointing to her head.

Fourth seed Dementieva became the first big-name casualty of the 2009 US Open when American teenager Melanie Oudin claimed another big-name grand slam scalp.

Oudin, 18 later this month, had caused a shock at Wimbledon earlier this summer when she knocked out Jankovic in the third round and the world number 70 added the 2008 Olympic champion to her list of victims at Arthur Ashe Stadium with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 upset victory.

Dementieva was gracious in defeat.

“Maybe I overplayed a bit in the summer but I think she played really well. She was very positive and going for the shots, going for the winners. Just was a very solid game from her.”

Fifth seed Jankovic fell foul of Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova, losing a final-set tie-break to the world number 55, 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (8-6).

Shvedova will now meet world number 40 Gisela Dulko of Argentina in the fourth round after she knocked out 30th seed Alona Bondarenko, brushing aside the Ukrainian 6-4, 6-0.

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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.