ITF Oeiras: Elina Svitolina misses out on match point in tight loss to former No. 32

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Elina Svitolina exited an ITF event in Oeiras after failing to realize a match point against 132nd-ranked Clara Tauson. On Wednesday, Svitolina - who received a main draw wildcard into Oeiras - kicked off her campaign at the tournament.

In the Oeiras first round, Svitolina made a lighting start before former world No 32 Tauson recovered to beat the Ukrainian 2-6 7-6 (3) 6-4. Svitolina got off to the best possible start to the match, earning back-to-back breaks early for a comfortable 5-0 lead.

Down by two breaks and on the brink of losing the first set, Tauson refused to quit as she served out the sixth game and got one break back in the seventh game to cut the deficit to 5-2. But in the eighth game - when Tauson was serving to stay in the first set - Svitolina earned her third break of the set to win the opener.

Svitolina had a match point to beat Tauson in two sets

After easily losing the first set, Tauson started the second set by breaking Svitolina in the very first game of the set. Svitolina managed to get the break back in the sixth game but Tauson again broke the Ukrainian in the seventh game for a 4-3 lead.

For the second time in the second set, Svitolina recovered from a break down as she broke back Tauson in the eighth game to tie the set to four games apiece. In the 10th game - when Tauson was serving to stay in the match - Svitolina had a match point but Tauson saved it.

After saving a match point, Tauson pretty much dominated the second-set tie-break to send the match into a decider. Early in the third set, Tauson was twice up by a break but Svitolina twice recovered as the two players were tied to four games apiece after the first eight games of the decider.

In the 10th game - when Svitolina was serving to stay in the match - the Ukrainian saved two match points before Tauson converted her third match point to complete a comeback three-set win. Last week, Svitolina was beaten in the ITF Chiasso round-of-16 after blowing a match point against Alexandra Ignatik.