Canberra Velocity battled hard but ultimately the Flagstaff Freighters proved too strong in the opening round of the Asia Pacific Tennis League National final. After the singles, it was locked at 2 rubbers all, but the Freighters took both doubles to take a 4-2 victory.
In singles action, the Freighters got off to a quick start at the top position with Polish wildcard Katarzyna Piter defeating Alexandra Nancarrow. Piter who is ranked 177 only dropped one game on her way to victory. New recruit, Abbie Myers got off to a strong start at the number 3 position taking the first set in a tiebreak against Viktorija Rajicic. Myers was up a break early in the second, however Rajicic responded and fought back to take the second 4-2. Rajicic then took the third set to put the Freighters up 2-0. At the number 2 position, Alison Bai got off to a slow start, losing the first set 4-0. Bai rallied in the second and after being down a match point in the second set tiebreak, she won the power point to take it to a third. With the momentum in her favour, Bai rushed through the third set 4-1 to maintain her unbeaten record in the ATL this year. At the number 4 position, Tyra Calderwood won the first set comfortably against Olivia Lukszewicz. Lukszewicz fought back in the second, winning three power point games to take it into the third. Calderwood got an early break and held on to take the victory and level things up at 2-2.
In the doubles, Bai and Calderwood took on Piter and Moore. The first set went the way of a Freighters after breaking Calderwood on a power point. In the second, Bai and Calderwood went down a break early but battled back and had a chance to break back at 3-2. However Piter responded with some solid serving to close out the match and put the Freighters up 3-2. In the other doubles, Myers and Nancarrow combined to take on Rajicic and Nicole Collie. The first set went to a tiebreak with the Freighters taking it 5-3. Things were even in the second until 2-2, when the Freighters went up a break and then served it out to take a 4-2 victory over Canberra Velocity.
Velocity will return to the court tomorrow at 2pm.
Canberra Velocity 2 l Flagstaff Freighters 4
Singles
No 1. Alexandra Nancarrow (CV) l Katarzyna Piter (FF) – 0-4, 1-4
No 2. Alison Bai (CV) d Jessica Moore (FF) – 0-4, 4-3(4), 4-1
No 3. Abbie Myers (CV) l Viktorija Rajicic (FF) – 4-3(1), 2-4, 2-4
No 4. Tyra Calderwood (CV) d Olivia Lukszewicz (FF) – 4-2, 0-4, 4-1
Doubles
No 1. Nancarrow/Myers (CV) l Rajicic/Collie (FF) – 3-4(3), 2-4
No 2. Bai/Calderwood (CV) v Piter/Moore (FF) – 1-4, 2-4
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