Iveta Benesova ousts Nina Bratchikova in the third round – Australian Open 2012
Czech veteran, Iveta Benesova, registered a comprehensive straight sets victory over the 136th ranked, Nina Bratchikova of Russia, in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday. The unseeded Czech competitor wrapped up victory at 6-1, 6-3, taking just 70 minutes of play to book a berth in the fourth round of the season-opening Grand Slam event.
Being played at the Show Court 2 of the Melbourne Park in Australia, the contest witnessed a magnificent display of sheer dominance from the Czech veteran. Rated at number 46 in the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association), Benesova clinched the opening set with a breadstick and continued with her demolition job in the following set to close out the matchup in her favour.
The Czech rival delivered 70 per cent of her serve on target to secure 27 out of 33 first serve points en route to victory. She converted four out of 12 break opportunities in the match, whilst Bratchikova utterly failed to craft a single break point in the entire contest to finish on the losing side in the end. Her course to victory was assisted by the error-ridden game play of Bratchikova, who coughed 24 unforced errors to award some easy points to her superior-ranked opponent.
Action started off right from the second game, when Benesova registered her first break point of the day to lead 2-0. She went on to hold her next two serves to race away to a 4-1 lead. A couple of double faults from the Russian competitor created another opening for the world number 46 in the sixth game and she nailed her second serve break of the match to serve for the set at 5-1. Benesova had no trouble in serving out of the opener at 6-1.
Czech dominance continued in the following set but with slightly lesser effect this time. Bratchikova held serve once before dropping it in the third game to trail 1-3. A regular game was followed but Benesova eventually cracked in another break point in the ninth game to seal the match at 6-3, marching into the fourth round of the Australian Open in an assertive manner.
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