Kimberly Birrell recovered from a set down to beat Petra Marčinko 3-6, 7-6, 6-3 at the US Open. The key was Birrell's serve at the big moments: she saved all three break points she faced in the final set and broke Marčinko twice, including in the ninth game to seal the win.
Marčinko edged a first set that featured four service breaks, moving clear with breaks in the seventh and ninth games after the pair had traded breaks in the third and fourth. Birrell answered by breaking to open the second set, and although Marčinko repeatedly hit back, Birrell broke to level at 6-6 and then took the tie-break. In the decider, Birrell broke for 2-1, saved three break points, and wrapped up the match with another break in the ninth game.
The numbers underline how fine the margin was: Birrell saved 6 of 12 break points across the match, while Marčinko saved only 1 of 7. In the final set, Birrell landed all 37 of her first serves, a stretch that proved crucial in a contest decided by the big points.