Kristina Mladenovic cripples Koehler; Sara Errani progresses as well – XXVI Italiacom Open 2013
French star, Kristina Mladenovic, triumphed over the Portuguese qualifier, Maria Joao Koehler, with a breadstick at the XXVI Italiacom Open 2013 on Wednesday.
The top seed, Sara Errani, on the other hand also stole the show and progressed at this WTA International level event being held in Palermo, Italy.
Seeded third in this event, Mladenovic barely sweated in the opening set and ultimately pocketed the match to reach the second round. Both challengers were battling each other for the first time and with this win, the Frenchwoman took lead in the head-to-head
series by 1-0 against the qualifier.
“It's difficult to adjust to the conditions here - it's much different here than Wimbledon, obviously,” the French starlet stated in a courtside interview after pocketing the match. “Going from grass courts and the London weather to clay and the weather
here, I've been struggling, but I'm happy to win my first match and overall I'm happy with the way I'm playing.”
The surface and condition change was not the only problem the third seed was facing. She was tired after grabbing her first Grand Slam title. Mladenovic along with Daniel Nestor grabbed the mixed doubles crown at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
Mladenovic reflected in the interview, “We played our mixed doubles final after the men's final on Sunday and it was 8-6 in the third set - but it didn't finish until 8:30. Then I had press and other things, then we had to get dressed for the ball, so we
got there pretty late.... When I got to Palermo I was exhausted.”
The 20-year-old stormed into this match. After the Portuguese held her serve in the second game, Mladenovic unleashed flurry of groundstrokes and pulled out the opener with a breadstick.
Currently ranked 39th in this outdoor clay court event, Mladenovic carried her rhythm in the following set. She drew the first blood in the third game to take the initial lead. The Frenchwoman lost her track afterwards and fell at 2-5. However, she stayed
focused and not only recovered in the ninth game but prevailed in the tie-breaker to click the set with a 7-6(5) victory.
The local star, Errani, outclassed the Czech challenger, Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, in the repeat of last year’s final at this event.
Ranked sixth in the world, Errani lost her serve three times but cashed seven out of 19 break chances, consequently sealing the deal with a 6-3, 6-2 score line and progressing into the quarter-finals.
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