Agnieszka Radwanska ousts Sorana Cirstea to commence her tournament campaign – BNP Paribas Open 2012
Dubai Duty Free Championships winner, Agnieszka Radwanska, commenced her BNP Paribas Open campaign with a triumph over the Romanian beauty starlet, Sorana Cirstea. She clasped the win in straight sets 6-2, 6- 4 and took 80 minutes
to register her fourth head-to-head win.
Both these players were equally talented if we look at the head-to-head scores of 3-3 before this match. However, Cirstea was the one who started the rivalry with two straight wins upfront before Radwanska fought back to win three
matches on the trot.
Last match was won by the Romanian in the East West Bank Classic but that was almost three years ago, so it was a good matchup to know where both the players stood with respect to their talent and class.
A lethargic start to the match between the two players left the crowd dejected. Spectators wanted a fierce battle but both players were just trying to hold on to their serves and not trying hard enough to win a breakthrough in
the early stages of the set.
It was a ploy that worked for the Pole who crushed the Romanian with an assault in the sixth game. She broke serve and took a lead of 4-2. Cirstea suddenly found herself falling apart with games running away to win a break back.
She was suppose to hold her serve in the critical stage of the match but lost another breakthrough courtesy to a world class display from the Pole. It was obviously very difficult for the 48th ranked Romanian to fight
back into the match after losing the first set.
The second set started with a flurry of breakthroughs at both ends with Radwanska leading the show at 4-1. She won two breakpoints compared to just one of her opponent and once again placed herself in the driver’s seat.
However, she lost her lead for a small period of time in the seventh game courtesy to a successful breakthrough for the Romanian but earned it back in the following game with some eye-startling shot making.
Another trade of breakpoints in the set ended the match in favour of the Pole. Radwanska locks horns with the Italian tennis ace, Flavia Pennetta, in round three.
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