Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino beats Haochen Tang in the opening qualifier - Guangzhou Women's Open 2012
World number 91, Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino, dismissed the 18-year-old Chinese player, Haochen Tang, in the opening qualifying battle of the GRC Bank Guangzhou International Women's Open on Saturday. She won the opening set 6-3 but
lost the second 3-6. However, she did well to hold nerves and win the final battle 6-2.
Vecino opened her account with a commanding serve hold and denied her opponent from starting the match in a positive fashion; winning the first breakpoint in just the second game of the match. However, the following return game
for Tang was a success as she bounced back to break serve and reduce the trail to 1-2.
Despite a timely comeback, the Chinese teenager failed to consolidate the position and level the scores. The Spaniard won the second breakpoint in succession and regained the lead at 3-1. She held her serve to further press her
opponent down to a trail of 1-4. It was a terrible start for the local professional who had a decent support from the home crowd that turned in to witness a low rank match-up.
Vecino made no mistake on her serves in the following games and won the opening set with ease. Both players traded breakpoints to begin the second phase of the match. However, Tang managed to hold serve and take a lead of 2-1.
She did well to power down her foe in the following game; winning the critical breakpoint that increased her lead to 3-1.
Both players traded breakpoints in the following four games of the match; pushing the scores to 5-3 in favour of the Chinese player. The 20-year-old Spaniard looked a bit uncomfortable by the sound created by the crowd and failed
to break serve in the ninth game of the second set; gifting the win to her rival.
Vecino regrouped and showed better control of her serves in the final battle. She won the first breakpoint in the fourth game of the set; making it 3-1 in her favour. She was tested to her limits in the following game but didn’t
fell victim to her rival; successfully protecting the breakthrough and posting a resounding lead of 4-1.
Another breakpoint for the Spaniard and she was away into the next round where she plays Yi-Jing Zhao.
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