Johanna Larsson ousts Anabel Medina Garrigues & Klara Zakopalova to reach semis – Swedish Open 2012
World number 104, Johanna Larsson, rode her luck on the eve of Friday when she scuttled past the 35th ranked Spaniard, Anabel Medina Garrigues, in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to qualify for the quarter-final round of the
Sony Swedish Open.
After knocking out the third seed Spaniard in an hour and 30 minutes, Larsson locked horns with the 33rd ranked Czech, Klara Zakopalova, on the same day. She was forced to play two matches because all the matches that
were scheduled to be played on Thursday were washed out due to rain.
However, the 23-year-old Swede was lucky to just last 36 minutes into the second match with 2-0 lead as her opponent withdrew from the event after incurring a viral illness. Zakopalova was the sixth seed contestant of the tournament
and the second one to fall victim of the viral illness after the Belarusian professional, Olga Govortsova.
Coming back to the first encounter, Garrigues started off in a terrible fashion; dropped an opening serve game and went down to 1-4 after witnessing her competitor going two breakpoints up. She fought well to win one breakthrough
back but was thumped hard on the back foot by the local star in the following game.
Larsson clinched the opening set with ease and forced the third seed to bounce back into the match from a trail of one set. Everyone expected some sort of fight back from the Spanish star but she was completely owned in the second
set as well; seeing a trail of 1-4 again.
Larsson bagged the final serve hold with ease and marched on in a commanding fashion; leaving behind the third seed Spanish victim who was expected to win the match.
In the second battle, the 30-year-old Czech star was completely exhausted having played her first match in the morning against Mariana Duque-Marino. Although she posted the straight sets 6-0, 6-1 victory against the rival but the
length of the games was a bit too much that enhanced her sickness and lowered her stamina.
World number 104, Larsson, is now on the seven match winning streak and all those victories came at the clay courts so she has a chance to register another upset in the semis.
Larsson stated in a post-match interview, “I'm feeling pretty good after a pretty long day. It's nice to be in the semis so I'm really happy about that. I thought I played really well in the first match, especially on the forehand,
and my game is just where I want it to be right now."
The Swede star goes head-to-head with Mathilde Johansson for the pursuit of the final showdown.
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