Alexandra Artamonova surprises Julia Glushko in the second round – OrtoLaakarit Open 2011
Russian qualifier Alexandra Artamonova upset fourth seeded Israeli Julia Glushko with a breadstick at the OrtoLaakarit Open 2011, an ITF event taking place on the hard courts in Helsinki, Finland. She barely sweated in the final
set to register a 6-3, 6-1 victory over the 21-year-old Israeli, breezing into the quarter-finals on Thursday.
World number 440 Artamonova stunned the Israeli, ranked 254 levels above her, in one hour and six minutes. Meeting each other for the first time, she not only shocked the seed but also secured a last eight spot.
The unseeded Russian unleashed flurry of groundstrokes to wipe out first four games in a row before the Israeli snatched a break back. Later she held remaining serves and clinched the opener with a 6-3 win. Artamonova manifested
a lower first serve share of 60 percent as compared to the Israeli’s 67 percent but registered a comfortable 57 percent win on it. Furthermore she dusted away six out of seven breakpoints faced and capitalised on two out of six breakpoint opportunities to
her advantage.
Artamonova carried her winning ways in the final set as she again bombarded powerful groundstrokes to reel off first four games in a row before the Israeli could hold on. Later the Russian white washed last two games to earn a
breadstick. She formulated a better first serve share of 53 percent as compared to Glushko’s 45 percent but registered a marvellous 67 percent win on it. In addition to this, the Russian faced zero breakpoint and capitalised on three out of five breakpoint
chances to her advantage.
Next up for the qualifier is the sixth seed Slovak Jana Cepelova who dumped a Russian qualifier Natela Dzalamidze in straight sets to reach this place.
A local star Amra Sadikovic will be joining the Russian in the last eight after she cruised past fifth seeded Turk Cagla Buyukakcay with a breadstick.
The Swiss starlet made a shaky entry on the Finn courts and gifted away her serve in the opening game. However, she lifted her game and stroke out next six games in a row to earn a breadstick.
Sadikovic let her spark enlighten in the final set and went on a four game rampage before Buyukakcay could hold on. She held remaining serves and packed the set with a 6-2 win.
The Swiss saved three out of four breakpoints came across and cashed in half of the ten breakpoint opportunities to her advantage.
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