Kristina Barrois ousts Kirsten Flipkens from the first round of the Andalucia Tennis Experience
World number 79 Kristina Barrois of Germany took down the Belgian, Kirsten Flipkens, in the opening round match of the Andalucia Tennis Experience at Marbella, Spain, on Tuesday, April 5. The German veteran sealed her straight set victory at 6-3, 7-5, in
one hour and twenty four minutes of play to enter the second round of the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) tournament.
The Belgian hung in the game for quite some time and gave a tough time to Barrois in the second set but her weak baseline defence couldn’t restrict the German from belting forceful winners. Flipkens didn’t capitalize upon seven double faults from Barrois
and converted three of six break opportunities in the game.
Barrois had a ballistic start to the opener, breaking in the very first game to get the initial advantage 2-0. Both women held their serve until the seventh game when the German had another chance to strike a break point to get an impassable lead of 5-2,
serving for the set.
The 25-year-old Belgian finally registered her first serve break in the eighth game to cut the deficit to 3-5 but couldn’t control the flow of unforced errors from her racquet. Barrois closed the opening set at 6-3 when she clouted a third decisive break
point and get one up in the contest.
Barrois had an early stumble in the next set as Flipkens broke in the very first game to lead 2-0. The German nullified her opponent’s advantage in the fourth game to level the scores 2-2 but Flipkens broke back to take the scores 4-2. The 29-year-old German
veteran regrouped her strengths once again to rally past her opponent, reaching match point at 5-4, but had to wait for two more game before finally closing out victory at 7-5.
Barrois’ will square off against the eighth seed Sara Errani from Italy in the next stage of the competition at Marbella. Errani defeated Sorana Cirstea of Romania in an enthralling three-set contest, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, to make it to the second round of the
Andalucia Tennis Experience.
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