Kirsten Flipkens wins marathon qualifying match

9 January 2010, by Hobart International Tennis

Kirsten Flipkens and Ksenia Pervak made Moorilla Hobart International history today, recording the longest ever qualifying match for the tournament.
In a match lasting two hours 49 minutes and 46 seconds, Flipkens came back from a set down to win through to the final round of qualifying, 6-7(4) 6-4 7-5.

Defending Moorilla Hobart International champion, Petra Kvitova is one match closer to a main draw berth, winning her match against Shuai Zhang 6-4 6-3.

Kvitova is joined in the final round by two other former champions, Anna Chakvetadze (2007) and Michaella Krajicek (2006).

Chakvetadze recorded a comfortable win over Elena Chalova 6-2 6-2, while Krajicek, who is celebrating her 21st  birthday today, was forced to fight for a place in the final eight, pushed to three sets by Tatjana Malek.

Dropping the first set, Krajicek fought back to win the second set in a tiebreaker. Up 5-0 in the deciding set and with the crowd behind her, she survived a late comeback from Malek to win 3-6 7-6(5) 6-3.

Main draw action gets underway tomorrow (Sunday) at the Domain Tennis Centre in Hobart.

Tickets can be purchased for the Moorilla Hobart International through Ticketek, or at the Domain Tennis Centre, with tickets starting at just $9.90.

Tickets can be purchased online at ticketek.com.au or 1300 888 104.