Young Czech bounces Dementieva Saturday, 20 January, 2001
Roger Gatchalian
Daja Bedanova has reached the fourth round at her first Australian Open, courtesy of a stunning 2-6 7-6[5] 6-3 upset of the tournament's No.9 seed, Russian Elena Dementieva.
The 17-year-old Czech, who hadn't won a match in her first two Grand Slams [2000 Wimbledon and US Open] staged an unlikely comeback against the US Open semifinalist and Olympic silver medallist.
The win earns the teenager the right to take on sixth-seeded American Serena Williams for a quarterfinal berth.
Rising star
Women's Singles - 3rd Rnd - Rod Laver Arena 1 2 3
Elena Dementieva RUS
6 6(5) 3vs.
Daja Bedanova CZE
2 7(7) 6
Match Facts
·
Match duration: 1 hour, 54 minutes·
Dementieva: had more winners [34 to 30] and less unforced errors [34 to 40] than her conqueror·
Bedanova: converted 4/7 break points, compared to Dementieva's rate of 5/10·
Dementieva: won 99 points over the match to Bedanova's 98·
Dementieva: didn't hold a break point in the final set·
Bedanova: won her first Sanex WTA Tour singles title at Bratislava in 2000·
Dementieva: lost in the third round in her second Australian Open last year·
Bedanova: in the fourth round, meets sixth seed Serena Williams, who has conceded 15 games and zero sets over three matches