2011 Auckland Classic: Heather Watson topples Noppawan Lertcheewakarn in straight sets
The 18-year-old Heather Watson from Great Britain got the better of Noppawan Lertcheewakarn of Thailand in two sets in her first round match at the 2011 Auckland Classic on Tuesday. The final match score was 6-1, 6-1.
Watson, as a result of this win, has made her way into the second round of the event. World number 176 faced no problems in getting past her foe and played superior tennis in contrast to Noppawan.
The professional tennis ace from Great Britain who made her debut on the WTA tour back in 2009, will next take on Suarez Navarro of Spain in the second round. Suarez is currently ranked number 57 in the South African Airways WTA
list. Watson is playing in her first tournament since her quarterfinal exit at the Commonwealth Games back in October last year where she was eventually defeated at the hands of Anastasia Rodionova from Australia in straight sets.
The 1.70 meters tall Watson, who picked up the United States Open junior crown back in 2009, is currently enjoying a descent form on the tour. The right hander cracked the world’s top 200 on the very first occasion back in November
last year after winning the Tevlin Challenger, an ITF event in Canada. She in her today’s match against Lertcheewakarn also did not face a single break point.
Her next round’s opponent Navarro, who is seeded number eight to win the title, however, is expected to put up a good fight against the Brit. Navarro made her way into the next round of the tournament after getting the better of
Romina Oprandi from Italy in two sets on Monday. The final score line was 6-3, 7-6.
Moreover, last year’s winner Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium dispatched off former top ranked Dinara Safina in three sets. The final score line was 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-1.
Yanina who is currently ranked number 23 in the world played some impressive tennis to overpower Safina in the end. The second seed will next meet Maria Sharapova of Russia in the second round on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, Lisicki defeated Florencia Molinero of Argentine 6-1, 6-3 whereas the sixth seed Russian Elena Vesnina hammered down Marina Erakovich, a wild card entrant from New Zealand in two sets. The final score line was 6-2, 6-2.
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