Keothavong suffers calamity in California

BRITISH tennis No.1 Anne Keothavong squandered an apparent match-winning position as she lost seven games out of eight to go down to former Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli in the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California.

The world No.82 was 4-1 up in the deciding set and seemingly on her way to a third-round meeting with world No.8 Anna Chakvetadze when she lost four consecutive games to hand her French opponent the initiative.

Although she levelled at 5-5, Keothavong was powerless to stop Bartoli who closed out a 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 victory. Bartoli, the world No.15, had raced through the first set after taking a 3-0 and 4-1 lead. In the second set, however, the Briton was in complete control to take it 6-1.

Bartoli held serve to go 1-0 up in the decider but Keothavong won the next three games. The Frenchwoman then fought back to take a 5-4 lead, forcing her opponent to serve to stay in the match. Keothavong managed to level but the relief was merely temporary as Bartoli went on to take the next two games.