Daniela Hantuchova pink slips Barbora Zahlavova Strycov in the 2nd round – Mercury Open 2011
On Tuesday, 2nd of August, Daniela Hantuchova effortlessly won the second round match from Barbora Zahlavova Strycov at the La Costa Resort and Spa, Carlsbad, California, in simply sixty seven minutes and 46 seconds
6-1, 6-3.
The Slovakian (Hantuchova) and the Czech (Strycov) were not meeting for the first time; they had previously met at the Wimbledon Championships, where both the players had battled it out on the grass courts in 2010. Strycov won
the match 1-6, 6-2, 6-4. Fate made their paths cross again; the two were meeting for the second time at the Mercury Open 2011.
Strycov had forgotten that Hantuchova had changed her style and technique. Although, Strycov had struck no aces and double fault, she performed inadequately in her serve and return serves (winning an average 43% of her total service
points along with a pathetic 20% win in her total return points). In addition, she was unable to save two break points out of the five.
Hantuchova wanted to take revenge and hence, served with a vengeance; she shot strong powerful ground strokes and smashed three aces and therefore, was able to bag a grand 80% of her total service points. Her return serves were
spot on which made it difficult for her opponent to play them and she achieved a commendable 57% of her total return points. Additionally, her defence was like an ox and she did not allow a single break point opportunity to her adversary and instead capitalised
on two break point opportunities. Hantuchova was in her groove and restricted her opponent to a single game point. The Slovakian won the set with almost twice as many points as her opponents in the total set points.
Winning the first set of the match proved to be an elixir for Hantuchova and she was not to give up now; her dominating serve aided in two perfectly executed aces along with, an immaculate precision she struck zero double faults.
Whereas, her opponent’s precession faltered and she (Strycov) struck two double faults out of which one was a line fault and the remainder hit the net.
On the contrary, Strycov performed better in her serve but dropped below the par on her return serve. She (Strycov) managed to convert the only break point advantage; she lost most of her points as she was also unable to save 60%
of her break point chances and thus, lost the match to Hantuchova who played flawlessly givingonly one break point to her opponent and instead, broke her 3 times.
When all was said and done, Hantuchova was able to avenge her loss and managed to equalize their head to head score to 1-1.
The 28-year-old Daniela Hantuchova will now face the 28-year-old Chinese Jie Zheng in the third round of the Mercury Open 2011.
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