The first three-set battle of the inaugural United Cup saw Despina Papamichail come from a set and a break down to defeat Isabella Shinikova 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in two hours and 19 minutes, giving Team Greece a 1-0 lead over Team Bulgaria in Perth.
It was the second time in the past three months that Papamichail had defeated Shinikova from a set down, having previously won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) in a Monastir ITF W60 tournament in October.
Initially, Shinikova's heavier weight of shot prevailed. The 31-year-old built an early 3-1 lead, and resisted a comeback attempt from Papamichail to survive eight deuces and regain the break for 4-2.
But trailing 2-1 in the second set, Papamichail's tenacious qualities shone through. The Greek player began to find a plethora of winners, with her backhand particularly impressive, and delivered a near-flawless passage of play to level the match.
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An ailing Shinikova required strapping on her left leg ahead of the third set, and on resumption her struggles on serve were evident. The No.381-ranked Bulgarian managed to take an early break again but was unable to sustain the rally tolerance required to hit through Papamichail. Cramps in her racquet hand midway through the set only added to Shinikova's woes, and Papamichail cruised through the last six games in a row.
"I'm playing with a really strong team," said Papamichail on court afterwards. "Maria [Sakkari] is a big example for me, so the least I could do was fight my heart out."
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