Anne Keothavong beats Karolina Pliskova to clear round one – AEGON Trophy 2012 CH
World number 81, Anne Keothavong, ousted the 20-year-old Czech booming starlet, Karolina Pliskova, to reach the second round of the grass court tournament in Nottingham. She clasped straight sets victory posting scores of 6-4,
6-2.
On Tuesday, both players locked horns for the second time in their professional career having played earlier this year in March at Nassau. The Briton star had won the previous battle as well in straight sets so it was obvious that
she try to utilize that experience and further close down the Czech in the match.
On the other hand, Pliskova had a perfect opportunity to have an early revenge on the 28-year-old Briton. It was difficult but the upset was on the cards especially after witnessing a terrific performance by the Czech in the qualifiers
of the Roland Garros French Open.
Pliskova was under the cosh right from the start. She was tested on the first serve but escaped the scare to post a serve hold. Her rival smashed three winners in the following game to hold her serve to love. Once again, the pressure
was back on the Czech who saved a breakpoint and luckily clipped the top of the net to gain a winning point. The Briton was forced to hold the serve from deuce which she did.
The turning point of the set was the fifth game when the 122nd ranked Czech saved a couple of breakpoints but couldn’t resist her competitor on the third occurrence and lost the game. Keothavong posted an easy serve
hold and consolidated the lead further.
Pliskova fought back into the contest with a thumping breakthrough in the eighth game;; pushed the Briton on the back foot with two startling winners and rounded off the game with a perfectly timed drop shot.
However, she was broken right back in the following game that reinstated the lead of the Briton who held her serve with ease in the final game to win the opening set.
The second set witnessed two back-to-back breakthroughs for the Briton who kept the lead intact until the end to clear round one. She will face her compatriot, Laura Robson, in the following round.
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