Kichenok, I must say, played really well. She didn't play like number #414 at all. But Flavia is just lacking something, maybe a bit intensity and determination. Came back from *3-5 in the second just to get broken again at 5-5.
Figured most of you would laugh at her losing to a player "outside the top 400" but Lyuda is much more talented than her current ranking suggests. She's nearly a top 50 doubles player and opts to play the bigger tournaments in doubles, forgoing any chance for singles play. And when she was able to get into singles tournaments, she's been hampered by a lingering injury.
Her twin sister, Nadiia, was in the top 100 a few seasons ago and early on in their career, Lyuda was always the one with better results and more "promising" of the two. I am so so so happy that some of the talent is finally showing through after all these years.
Figured most of you would laugh at her losing to a player "outside the top 400" but Lyuda is much more talented than her current ranking suggests. She's nearly a top 50 doubles player and opts to play the bigger tournaments in doubles, forgoing any chance for singles play. And when she was able to get into singles tournaments, she's been hampered by a lingering injury.