Hey there, fellow tennis enthusiasts It’s your girl Mia Johnson-Carter here, living the dream in Miami. I’m super excited to share some awesome news with you all about an incredible performance by Isabella Kruger at the W35 Santa Margherita di Pula event. This young tennis star from the Coppini Tennis Academy is off to a winning start, and I just can’t get enough of it!
Isabella Kruger, a 19-year-old from South Africa, made a remarkable showing at the W35 Santa Margherita di Pula event. She passed through the qualifying stage and entered the main draw, where she faced fellow teenager Vittoria Paganetti in the first round. The match was a one-sided victory for Kruger, who scored a 6-3, 6-1 win in just an hour and 24 minutes. This victory marked her 12th main-draw win at professional events in 2024, excluding the Billie Jean King Cup.
Kruger’s performance was impressive, especially behind the first serve. She outplayed Paganetti by converting 23 points out of 23 after missing the first serve, which dropped Paganetti to just five points. The South African player also managed to break her opponent six times out of ten chances, while facing only four break points herself and getting broken twice.
The match was a thrilling display of skill and determination. Kruger started strong, holding her serve in the first game after Paganetti’s two double faults. The Italian player stayed composed but ultimately fell behind as Kruger secured another hold and moved ahead 3-2. Isabella then stepped in on the return in the sixth game, grabbing a break and opening a 4-2 advantage. Although Paganetti broke back in the seventh game, Kruger made another push on the return at 4-3, seizing the second break point and forging another advantage.
Kruger served for the opener at 5-3 but offered her rival a break point after a double fault. However, she saved it and wrapped up the first part of the duel in 42 minutes. In the second set, Vittoria hit a double fault in the first game, suffering a break and falling further behind. Kruger continued her dominance, holding after a deuce in the fourth game and notching another break in the fifth game, forging a 5-0 lead and serving for the win.
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