Barbora Zahlavova Strycova knocks down Tatjana Malek in the second round – Bell Challenge 2012
Sixth seed, Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of Czech Republic, scored a comprehensive win over the world number 118, Tatjana Malek of Germany, in the round two of the Bell Challenge. This WTA event is being held on the hard courts in
Quebec City, Canada.
The Czech player dropped just six games in the entire contest, winning the match in straights sets 6-3, 6-3 to book her place in the last-eight stage of the event.
Strycova and Malek made a stable start, as they held their serve in the first four games to take the score to 2-2. The Czech contestant hit blows to her opponent in the fifth and seventh game to create a 5-2 lead. Malek pulled
one back in the eighth to reduce the trail to 3-5 but she lost her serve again in the ninth to drop the opening set 3-6.
Ranked 62nd in the world, Strycova hit a single ace and made the same number of double fault. She had a low first serve percentage of 52 but clinched 10 of the 12 points on them. The Czech contestant won half of the
return points, securing 11 of the 22 first and four of the eight second ones. The right-hander could not put away the only break threat she came across but managed to avail three of the four chances she created in the opener.
Strycova and Malek did not drop their serve in the first three games of the second set, taking the score to 2-1 in favour of the former. The Czech contender struck in the fourth and capitalised on it to attain a 4-1 lead. Strycova
maintained her advantage till the end to seal it 6-3.
The Czech contestant matched her performance of one ace and equal number of double fault. The 26-year-old fared quite well on the first serves, keeping its percentage on 75 and pocketing 22 of the 30 points. The Plzen, Czech Republic
resident could not do well on the second deliveries and first returns, losing seven of the 10 and 13 of the 18 points on them respectively. The 5ft 4.5in tall player saved the only break point she faced and converted one of the three she received in the second
set.
It took Strycova an hour and 16 minutes to clinch victory over her German opponent.
The Czech contender will play the third seed, Mona Barthel of Germany, in the quarters.
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