Maria Martinez Sanchez vs Patricia Mayr-Achleitner – Final Preview: NURNBERGER Gastein Ladies 2011
Patricia Mayr-Achleitner will be facing Spanish Challenge Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in the final of 2011 NURNBERGER Gastein Ladies on SUnday. The two women have met each other only once on the Women’s Tennis Associaiton tour previously with straights sets victory at 2009 Bogota. However a lot has been changed since then so an exciting and nail biting encounter is expected to take place.
Patricia Mayr-Achleitner thrashed out Ksenia Pervak of Russia 6-0, 6-0 to book her place in the final at the WTA tournament. In the quarterfinal she outclassed Dia Evtimova in straight sets. Apart from the tie-breaker she played Lourdes Dominguez Dropping in the first round; the Austrian has dropped only nine games at the tournament.
Thrice, she has won a set with six consecutive games this week. With four straight sets victories under at the red clay courts of Bad Gastein, she will be very confident about her game play. If she can continue her unbelievable form in her next match-up against the Spanish tennis-pro, she is the favourite to lift the Gastein Ladies title on Sunday
Coming to her performances in the year 2011, the 24-year-old has not been able to leave a mark as she experienced several early round losses in the WTA arena. Although, she started the year on a positive note with a quarterfinal appearance in Auckland, she failed to give any considerable results following that tournament.
At the Australian Open she fell in the first round to Hlacackova. French Open and the rest of WTA events also brought disappointment to her. Ranked 109th in the world, Patricia Mayr-Achleitner will be looking to restore some of the lost pride with a strong performance in Bad Gastein. She is certainly getter with every passing round and now she is one of the favourites to win the title.
Her opponent Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez is also a very talented player. She possesses a dangerous forehand shot which she uses very frequently to take control of rallies. In addition to her strong attacking skills, the Spanish pro has a rock solid defence as well which lets her save certain points against her.
Sanchez made it to the finals with a thumping 6-1, 7-6 (5) victory over compatriot Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine. Earlier in the quarterfinals, she battled past Yvonne Meusburger.
Known for her amazing clay court skills, Sanchez will be hoping to maintain her form to move one step closer to her first ever WTA title dream. So far she has been faultless in the tournament but the real challenge lies ahead as she takes on the inform Mayr-Achleitner.
Mayr-Achleitner will be looking to use her big serves as often as possible to keep the Spaniard behind the baseline. Sanchez, on the other hand, will be looking to outlast her opponent with her supreme agility on the court.
Prediction: Mayr-Achleitner is expected to win the title in three tight sets.
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