By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
CAROL Young Suh Lee of Saipan saw her run in the United Arab Emirates come to an end on Thursday after falling short in the women’s singles quarterfinals and the women’s doubles semifinals of the W100 Fujairah.
After dominant early-round victories in the women’s singles —including dismantling Polina Iatcenko of Russia, 6-1, 6-2, and posting a clinical 6-4, 6-1 win over Alexandra Shubladze, also of Russia — Lee faced a familiar foe in the quarterfinals in another Russian, Alina Korneeva.
The match was a repeat of their recent semifinal encounter in Manama, and once again, Korneeva’s power proved difficult to overcome.
Lee showed immense resilience in the opening set, battling back from a break down to level the score at 4-4. However, Korneeva regained her rhythm in the closing games, winning the final two games to take the set, 6-4.
Ahead by one set, the momentum shifted heavily in Korneeva’s favor. Despite Lee’s court coverage and fighting spirit, she was unable to break Korneeva’s serve and managed only two games in the second set before falling, 6-2.
In the women’s doubles event, Lee’s versatility was on full display as she teamed up with her singles rival-turned-partner, Polina Iatcenko.
Despite back-to-back wins, the pair’s run ended in the semifinals at the hands of Isabelle Haverlag of the Netherlands and Elena Pridankina of Russia.
The opening set was closely contested early on, but once Haverlag and Pridankina found their rhythm, their chemistry proved overwhelming. Lee and Iatcenko could only delay the inevitable as they dropped the set, 6-3. The momentum carried into the second set, where Haverlag and Pridankina delivered a flawless performance, sweeping Lee and Iatcenko, 6-0, to secure the match.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
