Cellular South Cup 2nd Round: Lucie Hradecka eliminates Sandra Zahlavova
World Number 102 Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic defeated compatriot Sandra Zahlavova in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 in their second-round match at the 2011 Cellular South Cup. The 25-year-old player needed a little over an hour and thirty-five minutes to proceed to the third round of the joint tournament.
The two players are almost neck-and-neck on the Women’s Tennis Association [WTA] rankings, so the victory was not a surprise to most fans. The first set of the match was comparatively more competitive, and the outcome was not clear to fans until Hradecka managed to take away the tenth game. Zahlavova fired three aces, while her opponent only managed one.
After the first-set loss, 25-year-old Zahlavova seemed to lose heart and gave up the second set without much of a fight. Hradecka won seven points through well-executed aces, while Zahlavova could only fire one. Currently World Number 96, Zahlavova also had trouble saving break points. Hradecka was able to convert three of five break points successfully, while fending off all seven of Zahlavova’s attempts. She won 78 of 144 total points in the match, scoring a satisfactory 54 percent.
Their head-to-head record is now 5-1 to Lucie Hradecka. Their first match was in 2004 on the clay courts of Stare Splavy. Hradecka, who was seeded second as World Number 333, defeated then-Number 560 in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 at the semi-finals.
They competed again in 2005 at the Oberhaching quarterfinals. Hradecka was first seed as World Number 237, while Zahlavova was seeded fifth as World Number 381. Hradecka defeated her opponent in close straight sets 7-5, 7-5.
Their third meeting was in 2007 at the quarterfinals of the Prerov 2 event. Despite the fact that Hradecka was seventh seed and Zahlavova was seeded third, Hradecka managed to defeat her countrywoman in straight sets 6-1, 6-3.
They also met at the quarterfinals of the 2008 Capriolo tournament. Zahlavova, who was World Number 204, scored her first and only victory against Hradecka with 6-1, 6-4 on this occasion. The two players played their last match against each other at the quarterfinals of the qualifying round at Bad Gastein in 2008. Hradecka was seeded eighth as World Number 237, and she won the match 6-1, 7-6(5).
Zahlavova has competed in eleven matches so far this season, and this is her sixth loss. On the other hand, Hradecka has competed in fifteen matches to win twelve of them.
Hradecka will compete against Russian pro Ksenia Pervak in the next round of the Cellular South Cup. Pervak defeated Czech seventh seed Renata Voracova in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 to cruise into the quarterfinal match with Lucie Hradecka.
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