Barbora Zahlavova Strycova ousts Ayumi Morita in round one – BNP Paribas Open 2012
Czech Republic’s starlet, Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, bounced back from a set down to nail the Japanese opponent, Ayumi Morita, in the opening round clash of BNP Paribas Open. It was a gruelling three-setter lasting an hour and 45 minutes before the Czech register a 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, victory at the hard courts of California, USA.
Both players were also a part of another taxing three-setter battle in the first round of AEGON Classic in 2009. Strycova was the winner at that stage as well and this triumph takes her head-to-head tally to 2-0. The start to the match was very fascinating with a flurry of breakpoints being shared at both ends.
No player could hold her serve in the first four games with scores ticking over to 2-2. It was the 71st ranked Japanese who put an end to the series of breakpoints on her end and registered a successful hold to take a lead of 3-2. She clubbed another breakthrough to push the scores to 4-2.
Strycova was struggling miserably with her first serve accuracy and failed to hold any of her serve games in the opening set that gifted the lead to her opponent. The second set started terribly for the Japanese who was forced to comeback from behind with her opponent cruising away with a lead of 4-0 in quick succession.
The Czech had already won a couple of breakthroughs and she stunned her opponent with a classic control over her serves in the second set. She spared just one game for her opponent before managing to gust past with a set triumph under her belt.
A remarkable turnaround in the proceedings bobbed down the 21-years-old Japanese who started the final set in a sloppy fashion; lost the first serve game and donated a 0-3 lead to her opponent. Scores reached 3-1 with Strycova leading the show.
An exchange of six breakpoints was shared equally by both players in the following games that confirmed a second round spot for the Czech. She will go face-to-face with her third ranked compatriot, Petra Kvitova, who received a first round Bye.
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