Johanna Larsson outfoxes Julia Cohen in the opening qualifier – China Open 2012
World number 84, Johanna Larsson, booked a spot in the final qualifier of the China Open at the expense of the 100th ranked American, Julia Cohen. She trashed her rival in straight sets 7-5, 6-1; clearing the opening
qualifying round in just an hour and 28 minutes.
It was not the first encounter between the two athletes. They had seen each other in the contest three years before at Glasgow. However, the result was the same and Larsson now leads the head-to-head series with 2-0.
The 24-year-old Swede witnessed a brilliant resistant from her rival in the opening set. Twice she got a lead and on both occurrences she was powered away with a break back by her rival. It was a terrific match-up that witnessed
a swirl of luck for both players but no one could consolidate the breakthroughs until the end of the 10th game of the match.
Cohen surrendered in the 11th game of the match gifting the breakpoint to her rival and failing to break serve back in the following game to equalize the scores and more importantly enforce the tie-breaker round.
A serve hold at both ends began the second set proceedings in traditional fashion. However, the Swede took over from that stage and won three breakpoints in a row to clinch the set as well as the match. It was a terrific onslaught
from the 15th seed Larsson who couldn’t capitalize on the opportunities provided to her in the opening set.
No ace was witnessed throughout the encounter but the good thing for the spectators was that they were provided with the ultimate entertainment by the Swede. She clobbered 65 points in the match out of which six of them were those
fantastic winners down the line that earned her the breakthroughs.
Larsson had 15 mammoth opportunities to end the encounter a bit earlier than it actually did but the conversion wasn’t up to the standards. However, in the end it doesn’t matter as the 15th seed Larsson booked a date
against the fourth seed British superstar, Laura Robson, who is emphatic run of form.
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