Bartoli debuts, Stosur looks to move into last four – Preview: WTA Championships 2011
The fourth day of the 2011 TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships underway in Istanbul would feature two matches on Friday in the white group and one match in the red group.
In the white group, Li Na (China) would face Samantha Stosur (USA). The Chinese player ranking at number 5 is in good form after she defeated Maria Sharapova (Russia) on day two of the event. On day four, Li Na would battle it
out against the 7th ranked Australian player in the quest to reach the finals. Both players have never won the WTA Championships, neither have they ever reached the finals of the event. They would be hoping to win their respective matches to cruise ahead into
the tournament. Although Li Na is two ranks above the American, it is Stosur who leads their personal match score by winning five while the Chinese has never defeated her Australian opponent.
In the red group match, Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) will play her semi final match against Agnieszka Roma Radwanska (Poland). Although the 22-year old Polish player is in top form in the tournament, her opponent, 21-year old
Czech would be in high spirits as she defeated and knocked-out world number one, Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 6-4, 6-2. The 21-year old Dane, who was the runner-up in the 2010 edition of the WTA Championships, was looking to capture the 2011 title with her
decent run during the event. But on day three of the tournament, Wozniacki was derailed in an upset win by the 3rd ranked Czech player in straight sets. This win by Kvitova brings her personal score against Wozniacki at two games to one.
In the second white group match scheduled on Friday in the 2011 WTA Championships, Marion Bartoli (France) would take on Victoria Azarenka (Belarus). The French player, finalist of the 2007 Wimbledon Championships would play against
4th ranked Belarusian in an attempt to progress into the next round. Keeping in mind the past record of both the players, Azarenka would have an upper hand in the match for she has won seven times against Bartoli, while the French has managed to defeat Azarenka
only once.
Bartoli, ranked at number 9th spot in the world, have had a good run in her professional tennis career, she needs to work on her performance to gather the needed momentum to excel in the WTA division. Experience from past matches
count in matches for the player can judge the intensity of the match itself. Taking that in view, Azarenka would be comfortable in Friday’s encounter for she has played the quarterfinal of the 2010 Australian Open, quarterfinal of the 2009 and 2011 French
Open and semi final of the 2011 Wimbledon Championships. On the other hand, Bartoli has played quarterfinals and semi finals in Grand Slams but she must be at top of her game if she looks to defeat Azarenka.
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