Estrella Cabeza Candela surprises Nina Bratchikova in qualifiers – Grand Prix de SAR 2013
Seeded at number four in the qualifying draw, Russia’s Nina Bratchikova suffered an upset defeat at the hands of the fifth seeded Spaniard, Estrella Cabeza Candela, at Grand Prix de SAR La Princess Lalla Meryem. The Sunday’s contest
lasts for two hours and 14 minutes before the 26-year-old Spanish wrapped up the proceedings in three sets, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.
Bratchikova has defeated Candela four times in the past, with two victories coming in the last WTA season. The 112th ranked Spaniard improved her head-to-head record against the Russian to 2-4 after her recent victory
and moved into the pre-quarter-final rounds of the WTA tournament in Marrakech.
The opening set took off in a steady manner, with both players holding their respective serves all the way. None of the contenders could break her opponent and the score line kept ticking on even terms. It appeared as if the set
would enter a tie-break round but a timely break point from Bratchikova turned the tables on the Spaniard. The Russian seed sealed the first set at 7-5.
Bratchikova held her serve in the opening two games of the following set and took the scores to 2-2 before a major momentum swing was witnessed. Candela went for a four-game rampage and nailed two successive break points to rocket
away to 5-2 in no time. The fifth seeded South African served out of the second set at 5-2 and brought the match back to even terms with the Russian opponent.
With the match levelled at one-set apiece, both players were anticipated to deliver their best in the decider. Candela snatched the early advantage by breaking her opponent in the very first game and then further capitalised on
her impetus to attain an unassailable lead of 5-1 in no time. Bratchikova made her last attempt to make her way back in the contest and cracked a break point in the eighth game. She managed to reduce the score deficit to 4-5 but couldn’t restrain the Spanish
underdog from wrapping up the match at 6-4.
Candela will take on Mandy Minella in the opening round of the main draw later this week.
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