2011 Open GDF Suez 2nd round: Petkovic overcomes Kucova in straight sets
Germany’s favourite tennis player, Andrea “Petkorazzi” Petkovic, overcame her Slovakian opponent, Kristina Kucova, in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 in the second round of the Open GDF Suez, held in France.
It took Petkovic less than one hour and thirty minutes to defeat Kucova.
Previews had already touted Andrea Petkovic as the likely winner, since she is almost two hundred spots above Kristina Kucova on the Women’s Tennis Association [WTA] rankings.
The German world number 24 is expected to break into the Top Twenty WTA players within this year, since she has consistently delivered good results for the past few months. She is 23 years old, and turned pro five years ago in 2006. She is a right handed
player, and has won one career title so far. Petkovic has played thirteen matches in 2011, and her recent victory notches her wins up to eleven.
Kristina Kucova, on the other hand, is currently ranked world number 225. She is 20 years old, and turned pro in early 2007. She has not yielded any significant victories apart from a 2007 ITF win in Slovakia, and is not considered a major threat for most
players. She has lost all three of her 2011 matches.
Petkovic seemed to be the dominant player throughout most of the match, demonstrating her trademark level-headedness while competing against Kucova. She scored the only ace shot during the match, and fought off 67 percent of her break points as compared
to Kucova’s 33 percent.
Although, Kucova seemed to be closing in on her around the ninth game, Petkovic took charge once again in the closing set to win the match.
Despite the fact that Kucova is not a dangerous player, she was able to defeat Petkovic in their first meeting in 2009. The two players faced each other in the second round of the qualifying draw at the Wimbledon Championships.
Petkovic was seeded eighth as world number 99, while Kucova was a full 50 spots behind as world number 149. However, she managed to defeat the German player in three sets 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-4.
Although, Petkovic put up a good fight in the first two sets, she gave in to Kucova in the deciding set. Consequently, their head to head is now 1-1.
Andrea Petkovic defeated compatriot Angelique Kerber 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 in the first round, while Kucova was also taken to three sets 5-6, 6-3, 7-6(1) by Russian Ekaterina Makarova before she managed to defeat her.
Petkovic will now face American Fed Cup player Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the quarterfinals of the Open GDF Suez. Mattek-Sands defeated her first round opponent Spanish Carla Suarez Navarro in straight sets 6-0, 6-3 before defeating local player Stephanie
Cohen-Aloro 7-5, 6-3.
Tags: