Barbora Zahlavova Strycova dismisses Marie-Eve Pelletier in the first round – Bell Challenge 2012
Sixth seed, Czech Republic’s Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, put away the trouble in the first set to defeat the world number 206, Marie-Eve Pelletier of Canada, 7-6(2), 6-1 in the opening round of the Challenge Bell in Quebec City,
Canada on Tuesday.
The Czech participant took one hour and 42 minutes to register this win over her opponent.
Strycova struck in the first game to go up 1-0 but Pelletier came back immediately to square off the score at 1-1. The two players exchanged a break of serve again in the subsequent four games to take the score to 3-3. There was
no strike by either of the two players in the rest of the set, levelling the proceedings at 6-6 and forcing a tie-breaker. Strycova, who faced a set point when she was serving at 5-4, played extremely well after that, as she allowed her opponent to win just
a couple of points and closed it 7-6(2).
The Czech contender smacked a single ace and 67 percent of the first serves, clinching 13 of the 24 points on them. The 26-year-old did not commit any double fault but her opponent was too erratic on her second serves, as she made
five of them. Strycov saved one of the three break points she faced and converted two of the eight she faced in the opener.
Carrying the winning momentum into the second set, Strycova stung a break in the second game to move ahead 2-0. Pelletier pulled it back to reduce the deficit to 1-2 but she could not win even a single game later on, sealing it
6-1.
Strycov banged in a single ace and made the same number of double faults in the second set. The Czech player performed solidly on her serves, keeping the first delivery percentage at 72 and grabbing 11 of the 18 points on them.
Ranked 62nd in the world, Strycova is also the defending champion of this WTA event. The Czech contestant said while talking to the reporters, "The first match is always difficult. I was a little bit nervous the first
set. I wasn't playing the way I wanted to play. But I'm happy that I managed to get through."
She added, "It's good to be back again. It feels very nice. It feels like home. I love this tournament and that's why I keep coming here."
Strycova is slated to play Tatjana Malek of Germany in the second round.
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