2011 BMW Malaysian Open: Alberta Brianti upset by Noppawan Lertcheewakarn in three sets in the first round
Unseeded local player Noppawan Lertcheewakarn surprised crowds with her defeat of World Number 100 Alberta Brianti, who is over 70 spots above the Thai player on the Women’s Tennis Association [WTA] rankings. Brianti has been part of the WTA Tour circuit
since 1999, turning professional over ten years ago. Her experience was expected to benefit her during the match. However, pundits were proven wrong when Lertcheewakarn upset her in less than two hours.
The Italian player suffered a tiebreaking defeat at the hands of her opponent, who is 19 years old. Brianti seemed distracted during the match, playing a very lopsided match; she scored more aces than Lertcheewakarn in the first set, but also committed
more double faults. In addition to this, she was unable to convert four easy opportunities for break points. She broke Lertcheewakarn twice, but was broken thrice by the young player as well. At the end of the set, she lost 4-6 with four points less than her
opponent.
This effort seemed to exhaust Lertcheewakarn, who proceeded to crumble in the next set. Brianti, who is 30 years old, seized the opportunity immediately. She won two aces in the second set, and performed better than her opponent in spite of three double
faults. The Italian also saved four of five break points, and successfully converted three of five break points against her Thai opponent. Brianti won the second set easily, taking 60 percent of the total points to defeat Lertcheewakarn 6-2.
At this point, fans were sure that Brianti would win the tie-breaker and reserve a spot for herself in the second round. However, Lertcheewakarn surprised spectators yet again; she recovered from her exhaustion in the first round to thrash her opponent
thoroughly, breaking Brianti thrice and scoring one ace in the process. The Italian player seemed like a fish out of water, floundering to retain some control over the match. Although no double faults were committed, Brianti played poorly and allowed Lertcheewakarn
to annihilate her completely in the last set of the match. She scored just 16 points, while the Thai player managed to win an impressive 63 percent of the total points in the set.
Lertcheewakarn and Brianti have never competed against each other before this match. Brianti has played sixteen matches so far this year, and this is her eighth defeat. On the other hand, Lertcheewakarn has played just eight matches, winning five of
them.
Noppawan Lertcheewakarn will now be facing World Number 150 Michaella Krajicek, who defeated German tennis pro Tatjana Malek in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 in her first round match.
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