Johanna Larsson, Svetlana Kuznetsova make it to the quarterfinals – UNICEF Open 2011
Johanna Larsson made it to the quarterfinal of 2011 UNICEF Open here in Hertogenbosch with an impressive 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Belgian Kirsten Flipkens on Wednesday. The 22-year-old made a strong start to the contest and although
she lost her way in the second set, she was able to complete her victory with a determined performance in the decider.
Breaking the challenger in the very first game of the match, Larsson started off very brightly. The hard hitting Belgian looked a bit out of sorts as a large number of her forehand and backhand shots landed outside the court. Larsson
took complete advantage of her opponent’s unforced errors as she made another serve break to bag the opening set 6-2.
Looking for her first ever Women’s Tennis Association title, Larsson stayed firm in the second set as well. After both players exchanged a couple of serve breaks, the match entered a very exciting phase. With the game score even
at 5-5, Flipkens came up with an excellent combination of shots to make her third break of the set and lead by 6-5, serving for the set. Converting the second set point on her next service game, she levelled the set score 1-1.
Both players started the final set very confidently as they held on to their serve games. Larsson received a number of break chances in the final set and she converted one of them to take the match beyond Flipkens’s reach. Hitting
a powerful serve ace, she made a match point available to her and then clinched the first one to end the battle that lasted for more than 2 hours and 15 minutes.
This is the second quarterfinal appearance on the WTA tour for the world number 71 Larsson since the year has started. The Swede will be eyeing her first WTA triumph here at the US $ 220,000 tournament however she will have to
bring consistency in her game play to achieve her goals. She will be facing Australian Jelena Dokic in the quarterfinal match-up.
Number second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova battled past Italian Sara Errani 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-1 to book her place in the quarterfinal.
The Russian made a slow start to the match as she let Errani take the opener 6-3. Regrouping herself, Kuznetsova bounced back astonishingly well in the second set and managed to force the match into decider after she clinched the
tie-breaker 7-3.
Errani failed to handle the pressure as she struggled to time the ball in the final set. Kuznetsova on the other hand kept her cool and broke the challenger twice to secure an emphatic victory. Her opponent in the quarterfinal
will be Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova who made quick work of Kristina Barrois 6-0, 6-1.
Tags: