U.S. pair fight out dramatic three-setter

Press, 13 December 1985, Page 32

U.S. pair fight out dramatic three-setter

PA Auckland Anna-Maria Fernandez and a fellow American, Candy Reynolds, yesterday gave women’s tennis in New Zealand a new dimension in fighting out a dramatic three-setter at Stanley Street

Fernandez won the threehour match, 6-7, (2-7), 7-5, 76 (11-9), in the $lOO,OOO Nu-tri-Metics women’s open quarter-finals. Rarely has play of such calibre been seen in New Zealand, for the Americans rushed the net with venom and showed how overhead shots should be played. Passing shots were executed with such devastating effect that each player sometimes just stood aghast at the brilliance. “I had no right winning the first set and Anna-Maria had no right to win the third and final set,” said Reynolds after the match. Later, when Julie Richarson, the only surviving New Zealander in the singles, was beaten 6-0, 6-4, by the fourth seed, Anne Hobbs, of England, the match lasted only 55 minutes.

Fernandez began the first set against Reynolds with such authority that she went ahead, 5-1. Reynolds fought back to win five games to lead, 6-5. The 25-year-old Californian levelled at 6-6, but lost the tie-breaker, 2-7. Fernandez then won the second set, 7-5. In the third set Reynolds was ahead, 4-1, but Fernandez rallied to lead, 5-4. Each player then held service to force a tiebreaker. It was a tie-breaker full of tension and brilliant play as both chased tirelessly. Reynolds was the first to have a match point, only to have it saved by a brilliant pass on the forehand. At 7-6 Reynolds fired in three fierce smashes in succession. A fourth was missed and the chance of tying up the match was gone as

Fernandez squared at 7-7. A further chance for Reynolds to win the match went begging as Fernandez passed her. Fernandez went on to match points of her own and took advantage of the second by forcing her opponent into error at the net for an 11-9 decision. Reynolds said she had played too tentatively. Fernandez, ranked 180 in the world said she was keen to take the professional circuit seriously again. “I once had tennis tunnel vision, but now my horizons are a little broader. If I enjoy playing I will do so knowing that I have some other profession in the background.” Richardson offered no excuses after her loss: “The first set was an embarrassment.”