My original onsite report from www.sports-india.com:
After a clean sweep in the first game of the match, Neha had serious trouble in the third one, when she served at 1-1 score. The second Ad-break point was converted to give Lindsay the first break lead of the match. But, according to an old tennis slogan - a break is just a break if you manage to win the service game afterwards - Lindsay failed straight without scoring a point at own serve, so that Neha easily tied the game. Neha still struggled at own serve, but this time, she saved a break point against her and took the lead again. After Lindsay had no problem to tie to a 3-3 score, Neha survived a crucial 0-30 situation at own serve, before she had break point against Lindsay's serve. 30-40 - and our girl just took it so that she was serving for the set in a really exciting match between two powerful-playing young ladies. No problems for Neha to win her next service game - and to win the first set by that.
Lee-Waters started well in the second set, while again Neha had to face a 0-30 situation at own serve. After four times Ad server, she managed to tie the board. Both players served well now and had no serious problems with standing the pressure on their own serve. Lindsay struggled a bit on her serve in the seventh game, but did not give Neha a break point. In the tenth game, Lindsay returned for the set with Neha serving at 4-5 score. After a 40-15 situation, Lindsay came back, but could not convert her Advantage break point opportunity. Neha managed to win the game and had three break points against Lindsay's serve. She converted the final one after she risked too much on the return at the second, so she served for the match. Though a double fault gave her a slight problem, Neha had match point at own serve at 40-30 now, but Lindsay showed a great return shot to deuce the points and even managed to re-break straight, which unneccesarily lead to a second set tie-breaker. After both players had no problems to win the points at own serve, Neha started to struggle in the sixth point just before court change, at which Lindsay lead 4-2. Another "mini break" made Lindsay lead by 5-2 and own serve, but Neha tied the score to 5-5 at own serve. Again, Neha was not clever enough to take profit of that, lost the next point and made Lindsay serve for the set, which the US-girl just did and won the second set.
After Neha just managed to win their serve at the beginning of third set, she played their weakest part of this match now and got broken twice to be 1-5 behind at own serve. Not much to say about these five game, she just did not manage to put pressure on her opponent at all. Though Neha made a clean sweep now to change the score to 2-5, the match seemed to be over now - but Lindsay struggled with her nerves and gave away the next game at her serve by committing three double faults. Neha won the next game at own serve and was just 4-5 behind now. 0-15, 15-30, 30-40 - our girl was in the lead again and again, but Lindsay found the correct answers. Neha even had a second break point at Ad Returner, but failed again. Lindsay finished off the match now and advanced to the second qualies round after a battle of two powerful fighters. Nevertheless, the Uberois and the coaches very unpleased about Neha's match. Of course, I can definitely understand the disappointment after having had a match point, but I was very impressed how much former tiny Neha had improved in the two years since I saw he playing for the last time at the US Open 2004.
