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PATTAYA, Thailand : Australian veteran Nicole Pratt claimed a thrilling three-set win over second seed Maria Kirilenko from Russia in the opening round of the Pattaya Open on Tuesday.
Pratt won their previous two encounters but Tuesday's match was a nail-biting affair before the Australian eventually emerged with the 7-6 (7/1), 2-6, 7-5 victory.
Pratt put her opponent under pressure right from the start, breaking to lead 2-1. Kirilenko managed to level 3-3 and then pushed Pratt to a tie-break which the Australian dominated, hitting a sizzling cross-court winner to take the set.
Kirilenko responded by controlling the second set, hitting fine forehands and mixing up her game with some well-struck drop-shots, as she raced to a 4-0 lead.
Pratt dug deep and fended off five beak points to hold at 5-2, but Kirilenko levelled the match on her third set point.
The Russian carried the momentum into the deciding set, breaking for 1-0 when Pratt hit a forehand wide. But her lead was short-lived as she double-faulted to allow Pratt to break back for 3-3.
Both players picked up the tempo with Pratt fighting off two break points to hold for 6-5. The Australian then edged ahead, breaking the Russian in the next game to finally clinch victory when Kirilenko erred on her forehand.
"I thought I played pretty well the whole match," said Pratt.
"The second set, I just lost a little bit of concentration but she played well, and it was a battle for the third set. I was down a break and I fought really hard to come back," she said.
"I'm just so relaxed playing. I figure that in situations like that I'm just going to fight as hard as I can and if I get the opportunity I'm going to go for my shots. That's what paid off tonight."
Top seed Marion Bartoli of France also had a tough battle, fighting back from 1-4 down in the second set to defeat Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives 6-3, 6-4.
Seventh seed Vasilisa Bardina of Russia was beaten 6-1, 6-4 by Austria's Sybille Bammer. And eighth seed Aiko Nakamura of Japan had to rally to overcome Thai qualifier Noppawan Lertcheewakarn 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Gisela Dulko of Argentina eased past China's Tiantian Sun 6-4, 6-1. - AFP/de
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