Marion Bartoli digs deep to beat Lucie Safarova in the first round – AEGON International 2011
World number nine, Marion Bartoli of France remains on course to defeat Lucie Safarova of Czech Republic, with a gritty 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(7) victory over the Czech in the first round of the AEGON International, being played here at
the Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club in Eastbourne, United Kingdom.
Both women had already met each other on four different occasions at the WTA (Women Tennis Association), with the French woman leading their head-to-head series to 3-1. However, it was the Czech player who caused the latest upset
at the quarterfinal of 2011 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when she decimated Bartoli in straight sets.
Nevertheless, the Frenchwoman managed to avenge her latest defeat against Safarova. Bartoli took the go-getter’s attitude into the match and, unlike the last time she played against Safarova and lost, she felt her game had matured
to the point where she could work her over.
Bartoli’s serve, which has appeared formidable earlier in her Semi-final match against the Italian Francesca Schiavone, was setting in the strike zone perfectly for Safarova. However, that was not to discredit the plucky Safarova
who managed to expose Bartoli’s passiveness in the second set with some drop shots that were rendering Bartoli helpless, as she scrambled meters behind the base line.
The 2011 French Open semi-finalist was teetering on the brink of defeat in the third set, as Safarova churned out point after point, but a magical stroke in the seventh game revived her fortunes completely. In an attempt to see
the light at the end of tunnel, the Czech pro churned out points after points, and threw up defensive shots in desperation to keep her opponent at bay, but it was of no avail. Bartoli’s serve had found its groove and she started to take the ball early and
managed to win nine games to seven in a tie-breaker.
Bartoli concluded her first round victory with a whopping ten aces and 64 percent on her first serve. In addition, she won 67 percent of points behind her first serve, 33 percent of points behind her second serve and a total of
93 of 185 during the process. In contrast, her adversary lagged behind with a meagre difference of one point in total.
Up next for Bartoli is Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain in the second round of the 2011 AEGON International. Both women have already met each other on three different occasions with French woman leading the head-to-head sequence
to 2-1.
However, If Bartoli cannot dictate the terms against Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez on Wednesday and plays as sporadically as she did against dispatching the Czech, the results could be much the same as at the second round of 2009
Mutua Madrid Open, where Bartoli was sent packing by the Spaniard with a 6-1, 7-5 scoreline.
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