BNP Paribas Open: Rebecca Marino vs. Tatjana Malek- qualifying rounds preview
Top seed qualifier Rebecca Marino will take on the unseeded German Tatjana Malek in the qualifying round for the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California on Monday. An interesting contest is expected as both players battle it out to book a berth in the
main draws.
World no. 61 Marino has yet to win a WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) title in her professional career. Although the 20-year-old Canadian doesn’t have an illustrious record in pro tennis, her talent is appreciated by many. Marino played her first Grand slam
event last year at the US Open where she was wiped away in the second round by the World no. 4 Venus Williams. Her surprise victory over the top seed Marion Bartoli in the second round of the Bell Challenge brought her under the spot-light.
Marino made it to her first ever WTA final at Memphis this year, competing against Magdalena Rybarikova. She was forced to retire after losing the first set because of abdominal strain. The Canadian appears in better physical fitness this time around, and
is expected to make it to the main draws.
23-year-old German Malek is also searching for a career first WTA title. Although Malek’s recent performances were quite ordinary, anything can be expected from the young German. She has a fine serving proficiency which might be her plus point against Marino
in the qualifying round.
The other qualifying round contest features the thirteen seed Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano and Petra Cetkovska of Czech Republic.
Cetkovska is another player without a WTA title in her bag. Her two-handed backhand and accurate serve are key features of her game. Her win-loss record is below 50 per cent but she can be a threat to her competitors if they bestow her with opportunities.
The Czech’s best voyage in a Grand Slam was back in 2008 when she made it to the fourth round of the French Open. Cetkovska needs to put up good resistance to Razzano in the qualifying round if she desires an entrance into the main draw.
Former World no. 16 Razzano has just played the Brisbane International Championships this year, where she was ejected in the qualifying round. The winner of two WTA titles, Razzano certainly doesn’t want to repeat the same results at the Indian Wells. She
reached the third round of the BNP Paribas Open last year but was defeated by Maria Kirilenko.
Cetkovska is ranked at 143 while Razzano is rated World no. 93. There lies a difference of 50 ranks between them, showing a significant diversity among the two players. The Czech has a three out of five win-loss record in the current year, showing her improving
form. The French is equally good with six wins out of eight matches. Considering the performances of both women in the current year, a stiff contest is expected. However, Razzano has been in intense pressure situations while winning WTA titles and knows how
to tackle anxiety in the game. This might give her an edge over her competitor.
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