Bruna Takahashi advanced to the round of 16 at the WTT event in Frankfurt, Germany, with a 3-1 victory over Taiwan’s Cheng I-Ching on Tuesday. The win ended a run of five consecutive defeats for the Brazilian on the world circuit.
Cheng took the opening game 11-7, but Takahashi levelled the match with a 12-10 win, using effective serves to turn the momentum. She then recovered after Cheng closed the gap while facing three game points, taking the third 11-9 to move ahead 2-1.
Takahashi built an advantage in the fourth game and held off Cheng’s attempt to rally, closing it out 11-7. The match scores were 7-11, 12-10, 11-9 and 11-7.
Takahashi will next play China’s Chen Xingtong, ranked seventh in the world, for a place in the quarter-finals. Takahashi is ranked 33rd and had been eliminated in the first round in each of her previous four tournament appearances.
The WTT event in Frankfurt runs from November 3 to 8. Hugo Calderano, who reached the semi-finals in Montpellier, is also due to begin his campaign in Germany on Thursday.
Sources: Globo Esporte.