Klara Zakopalova wipes out Alize Cornet in first round – Open GDF Suez 2012
Czech Klara Zakopalova moved into the second round of the 2012 Open GDF Suez after securing a straight sets win over the local wildcard entrant Alize Cornet. The 29-year-old world number 51 took one hour and thirteen minutes to
clinch an easy breezy 6-3, 6-1, win over the local talent.
This was the pair’s second meeting ever in their careers. The two had last met at the same arena four years ago in 2008 when Cornet had done away with Zakopalova in three sets bouncing back from a set down. Four years down the
road, the Czech finally avenged her first round loss in 2008.
Winning the toss, Cornet opened serve in the first set and sailed to an easy 1-0 on the scoreboard. The Frenchwoman was soon followed by Zakopalova. The two moved on an even footing for the next two games as the score remained
tied at 2-2. Proceedings heated up in the fifth game when the Czech broke the Frenchwoman to lead 3-2 in the first set. Although Zakopalova lost the lead in the sixth game as Cornet broke back, she soon regained it in the seventh game to lead 4-3. Holding
the Frenchwoman to three games, Zakopalova served out the fifth before breaking Cornet in the sixth to seal a 6-3 victory in the first set.
With no aces or double faults, Zakopalova won a 68 percent on her first serve, clinching a total of 33 of 59 points to go one up in the set score.
Down and definitely out, Cornet failed to make any impact in the second set. With two back-to-back breaks, Zakopalova reeled off five straight games to lead 5-0 in the second before serving out the set to clinch a breadstick win
and seal her straight sets victory and a berth in the second round of the event.
The Czech now moves on ahead to face Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova in the second round. Pironkova moved ahead in the event after upsetting third seeded 2011 Roland Garros champion, Li Na. Leading 7-6(5), 3-2 in the first round,
Pironkova enjoyed a retirement victory after the Chinese superstar retired with a lower back injury.
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