Caroline Wozniacki slays Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 6-0 in quarter-final of Qatar Ladies Open in Doha
Top seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki destroyed Italian Flavia Pennetta by winning 12 straight games in the quarter-finals of the Qatar Ladies Open on Thursday.
Going into the match, World number one, Wozniacki had a 90 percent winning record for her last ten matches. The last match she lost was at the semi-finals of the Australian Open Grand Slam, when she was ousted by China’s Li Na. She recently won the Dubai
Duty Free Tennis Championships final. Being the top seed, Wozniacki got a bye into the second round of the Qatar Open, where she overpowered Russian Nadia Petrova.
World No. 15 Pennetta had an 80 percent winning record for her last ten matches. Before entering this tournament, she reached the semi-finals of the Dubai WTA premier event. She entered this tournament confidently and dumped Chinese Jie Zheng and Czech Lucie
Safarova in the first two rounds.
The Italian got off to a good start: broke Wozniacki’s serve in the very first game and held her serve in the next game. After this, it was an all-Wozniacki show. The Danish ace unleashed her form and won the next 6 games in a row. Pennetta tried to hold
her back as she saved five break points, fired 2 aces and had an acceptable return points winning percentage, but Wozniacki completely outclassed her in 49 minutes to win the set 6-2.
The Dane had a much higher first serve percentage of 81 percent compared to the Italian’s 55 percent; she also earned an amazing 76 percent win on it.
Wozniacki carried her winning momentum into the second set. She was on fire from the start and with her quick forehands and backhands; she won another 6 games in a row to clinch the match in one hour and 22 minutes with a bagel.
The 20-year old outshined the Italian in every department of tennis as she hammered 3 aces and had a much higher first serve percentage of 83 percent to Pennetta’s 63 percent. She also registered an impressive 87 percent win on it. The Italian saved four
break points but her unforced errors led to her downfall. Wozniacki won by hitting 35 winners to Pennetta’s 33 and with a score line of 6-2, 6-0.
The Danish superstar has extended her head to head lead against Pennetta 6-0.
Wozniacki will be facing French Marion Bartoli in the semi-finals. Bartoli reached the semi-finals after defeating 8th seeded Israeli Shahar Peer.
“I'm sure she played a great match against Shahar,” Wozniacki said. “I didn't see the match so it's difficult for me to say, but to be the No.1 player in the world you need to play like that every match. That's why there's only one.”
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