Angelique Kerber defeats Lucie Safarova in the first round battle – Open GDF Suez 2012
World number 27, Angelique Kerber, ousted the 28th ranked Czech opponent, Lucie Safarova, in an exciting opening round battle at the Open GDF Suez on Tuesday. The ninth seed German took one hour and 17 minutes of play
to overcome Safarova in the straight sets, 6-2, 7-6(3), securing a berth in the round of 16 in the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Premier tournament in Paris, France.
It was the first time that these two exciting players encountered each other in a singles competition. Kerber fully capitalized on the sloppy start of the unseeded Czech opponent and made some early damage to get hold of the momentum.
By the time Safarova got her eye in the game, the ninth seed German had already sealed the first set in her favour. The 25-year-old Czech built up pace gradually in the next set and gave some real tough time to the German opponent. Her impetus was finally
halted in the tie-breaker round and Kerber reigned supreme over her to claim victory in the end.
The 24-year-old German belted 67 per cent of her first serve on target and reeled off 33 out of 41 points on it to drive her opponent out of the competition. She frittered away nine break opportunities in the match but converted
three vital ones en route to victory. Safarova could craft merely one break chance in the entire contest and rightfully converted it in the second set to extend the match a bit further. Her seven double faults on the most crucial occasions in the game proved
a bit too taxing in the end, costing her match.
Kerber stamped her authority right in the opening game of the match, breaking the Czech serve to lead 2-0. She kept on with her attacking manoeuvres to press her opponent committing more mistakes. Safarova obliged and coughed two
successive double faults in the fifth game to award another break point to his belligerent opponent. The ninth seed German held rest of her games to pocket the opening set at 6-2, getting one up in the contest in style.
After a steady start in the opening set, thing got heated up when the two contestants exchanged one serve break apiece in the seventh and the eighth games to take the scores to 4-4. A tie-breaker round came into play but Safarova
crumbled in the pressure situation to let her opponent fly away with victory.
Kerber will face the winner of the match between Jarmila Gajdosova and Monica Niculescu, in the second round of the tournament.
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