Tuesday 22nd April 2025

Good morning welcome to the live text commentary for Romania’s Gabi Lee’s second round qualifying match at W75 Chiasso against the top seed Katarina Zavatska from Ukraine.

0-1 Very lively start from Gabi, long rallies, lots of variety, using the slice attacking with the forehand. She has a few break points but after an extended opening game Zavatska holds on.

2-1 Gabi’s own service game gets a tough examination and she too must face a break point which is saved by an error from Zavatska. Gabi gets to deuce and converts a game point with a gorgeous drop shot from the baseline. Gabi presses Zavatska to 0-30 and there is a truly lovely point where Gabi controls a long rally and with immaculate defending and excellent movement gets to a tricky ball at the net and crosses it however Zavatska manages to get to it and hit a winner. She gets in the game and wins the next couple of points yet Gabi ends another long rally with a crunching forehand winner up the line and is up a break!!!

2-3 A long Gabi backhand gives her opponent two break back points these are saved with a forehand winner and then an error from Zavatska. But at deuce Zavatska hits a cross court winner to set up another, Gabi goes for a Backhand down the line with her gorgeous one hander but this one sails long and it’s back on serve. Gabi’s forehand is looking very solid but she has not quite got the backhand going yet. Every game is close as Gabi makes a few statements in the next Zavatska service game. Zavatska is defending resolutely however and finding the lines a lot. This is close!

2-5 Zavatska relentlessly pushes Gabi to 0-40 she saves one but this time the forehand lets Gabi down and Zavatska has the advantage. Gabi is still using the slice well, the play to try and draw Zavatska in and force her to over hit has worked a few times. Gabi has a golden opportunity to break but a tight error gets Zavatska back in and she holds to put all the pressure back on the Romanian.

2-6 Another backhand error puts Gabi to a 30-30 pressure point she goes ahead in the game with a tidy volley at the net, she will want to try and bring in those strong doubles skills they are winning her a few points. The backhand has been absent for a lot of the set but Gabi saves set point with an absolute beauty going cross court. Gabi Lee’s backhand is the most gorgeous shot in women’s tennis. Sadly she cannot stop the next one and is down a set.

2-6 0-2 Set two begins and Zavatska quickly holds to love and pressures Gabi to 30-30 and then deuce. Whilst the backhand was a little shaky in set one Zavatska is ruthlessly attacking the forehand side now and targetting it time and time again as the errors begin to seep in. She gets the early break. Gabi must hold tight here or this could really run away from her.

2-6 0-3 You cannot fault Gabi for effort she’s really trying to stick her heels into these games and putting as much as she can back in play, working very hard but she’s struggling to finish off the points and Zavatska is too strong for her.

2-6 1-4 Haide Gabi a much needed service hold to love to start the next game just to show the Top Seed her spirit is still alive! Another point won at the net with a cross court forehand winner in the next game that’s definitely where the magic is happening but Gabi cannot get forward as much as she would like to. She must keep trying to because that’s where the points are and as Zavatska holds again Gabs in running out of time.

2-6 3-4 There is the backhand!!!!!! Shy in set one but starting to shine bright now as Gabi hits a glorious cross court winner to get to game point. She then thumps a forehand down the line which Zavatska sends crashing into the net. Let’s go Gabs! She’s still believing. But then a little more belief as Gabi breaks to love in the next game! A furious Zavatska smashes a ball at the ground and it’s game on!!!

2-6 3-6 Alas Gabi is broken again she homes in on Zavatska as she serves for the match in another close game but Zavatska powers though and takes it. It was a gutsy and spirited performance from Gabi with some very good tennis but a strong, powerful opponent and a few too many errors on the backhand wing contributed to the defeat, however you cannot question Gabi’s heart and fight. Wishing her good luck with the doubles this week