Lucie Safarova trounces Carla Suarez Navarro to reach round three – Mutua Madrid Open 2012
Czech ace, Lucie Safarova, tumbled over the Spanish rising star, Carla Suarez Navarro, in straight sets at the Mutua Madrid Open 2012 on Tuesday. She nudged up a 6-3, 6-4 victory over the 23-year-old to stay on track for her maiden year-to-date career title at this blue clay court event in Spain.
The Brno native stayed on the right course to bid for her fifth WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) title after dumping Suarez Navarro in one hour and 31 minutes at Park Manzanares. The players last fought each other at the Fed Cup three years ago and after earning this success, Safarova maintained her winning record against the world number 45.
The left-handed Czech spectacularly warded off all seven breakpoints she came across to keep her entire serves in the opening set. She got the breakthrough in the second game and smoothly plucked the opener by winning six games to three.
Safarova kept momentum rolling into the proceeding set and earned the coveted break in the fifth game to jump to a 4-2 lead. She then held remaining serves with poise and clinched the set with a 6-4 score line. The Czech again brushed off both breakpoints she encountered and converted one out of two break opportunities to her advantage.
Ranked 23rd in the WTA Premier Rankings, Safarova spilled fewer double faults and clobbered a lower first serve share of 61 per cent as opposed to her rival’s 71 per cent. She also amazingly availed 35 out of 43 points on it and sealed the match with 70 points.
Up next for Safarova is the world number two, Maria Sharapova of Russia. She eased past Klara Zakopalova in straight sets to set-up this meeting.
"The good thing about indoors is you pretty much know what you're going to get in terms of the conditions," Sharapova was quoted after the match. "You don't have to worry about the wind or anything, so it's a plus that with this ever-changing weather we could have the roof. We actually didn't know until the last minute if it was going to be open or closed - but you just try to focus on what's ahead."
The second seed failed to ward off both breakpoints she faced and capitalised on five out of eight break chances to manipulate a 6-4, 6-3 victory in one hour and 17 minutes. Sharapova also took full advantage of the seven double faults the Czech committed and fired four aces to dominate.
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