Irina-Camelia Begu and Sloane Stephens progress into the qualifying final round at Grand Prix De SAR
Irina-Camelia Begu outplays Bianca Botto
Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu, a qualifying first seed here, beat Peruvian Bianca Botto in two sets 6-1, 6-3 in the second round of the qualifying draw at the 2011 Grand Prix De SAR. Tournament is a part of Women’s Tennis Association
and is being played at the clay courts of Fes, Morocco.
Begu is ranked 102 in the WTA singles rankings list. She made her latest appearance at the 2011 Australian open where she reached the final round of the qualifying draw before losing to Anne Keothavong of Great Britain with a 6-3,
6-4 score.
In the first set she struck 59 percent of the first serves and won 85 percent of points on them. In comparison, Botto managed to strike 56 percent of the first serves, winning a meager conversion rate of 44 percent on them. The
Romanian availed 100 percent of her breakpoint opportunities, whereas, Botto was left behind with 25 percent in the first set.
Scoring majority of points in the first set, Begu clinched it with a breadstick and took the lead with 1-0.
After dominating the first set, Begu gained confidence and broke her opponent thrice in the final set to take it with a 6-3 score. The 20-year-old Romanian proved to be too good for her lower ranked opponent and easily took the
match with straight sets. She converted 66 percent of first serves into points in the final set.
Sloane Stephens outplays Mariana Duque Marino
World number 170 Sloane Stephens of America beat world number 351 Mariana Duque Marino of Colombia in a three set thriller at the second round of the qualifying draw at the 2011 Grand Prix tournament.
Stephens broke Marino in the sixth and fourth game to take the match with a 7-5 score line. Stephens delivered 70 percent of first serves, winning 64 percent of points on them. The Colombian failed to save any breakpoint opportunity
she faced in the set. Whereas Stephens saved 3 of 5 breakpoint opportunities and entered the second set with a 1-0 lead.
In the second set, Stephens couldn’t maintain her good performance and lost the set with a 3-6 score. Her first serves accuracy dropped to 20 percent, though she won 69 percent on them. The 18-year-old American saved only 2 of
4 breakpoint opportunities and handed her opponent the second set to level the lead, 1-1.
In the final set both players didn’t hit a single ace though Marino hit 67 percent of first serves whereas the American managed to hit 65 percent. Stephens won 54 percent while her Colombian opponent lagged behind with a 45 percent
on conversion. Trying to break each other’s serves, Marino and Stephens pushed the set into a tie breaker. Stephens didn’t lose her concentration at any point and managed to clinch the mini-break to go 12-10 in the set.
Begu and Stephens will be playing against each other in the final qualifying round.
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