Barbora Zahlavova Strycova downs Anastasiya Yakimova in second round – Swedish Open 2011
World number 60, Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of Czech Republic registered an impressive victory against Belarusian Anastasiya Yakimova with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 score line and moved into the quarterfinal of the Collector Swedish Open on Sunday. With this win Yakimova has tied their head-to-head record to 1-1 against Strycova.
The match between Yakimova and Strycova turned out to be the toughest match of the day as the two continued to play tremendously but as the errors of the 2011 Nassau winner mounted, Strycova quickly wrapped up the match to settle the nerve of her supporters.
Strycova crushed the world number 93 in the first set, before an erratic first serve blighted her efforts as Yakimova hit back with three breaks points to tie the score at one set apiece. However, the 25-year-old Strycova swiftly returned, and having eventually secured the final set, the 2009 Ortisei winner surged over the finish line to grab her quarterfinal place in three hours and six minutes of play.
After the players went fifty-fifty in their opening games with some trademark booming forehands, Yakimova appeared to be in the driving seat, possessing four break points to leave Strycova looking a little rattled. But the world number 60 had some other ideas and after coming through a crushing rally to save the decisive break, she managed to take the set at 5-all. Strycova continued to display her brilliant tennis skills and secured all her opportunities to rule the first set 7-5.
However, the world number 93 did not lose her head and searched her way to a 6-4 lead in the second set. After recovering to one-set all, Yakimova looked set to rock the Czech with four break points towards a lead in the third set. But Strycova held her serve and powered on to win 6-3 to set up a meeting with the second-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy.
Strycova earned a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 victory by scoring 47 percent of points on her service, 54 percent of points on return and a total number of 119 points in total. In contrast, Yakimova earned 46 percent of points on her service, 53 percent of points on return and 115 points in total.
Standing in Strycova’s way of her second trip to the Bastad quarterfinal since last year, is the second seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy. This is the third career meeting between the two players and their head-to-head score is tied at 1-all.
Tags: