Marion Bartoli gets the better off Iveta Benesova in 1st round – China Open 2011
Eighth seeded Frenchwomen Marion Bartoli got the better off Czech Iveta Benesova in the opening round of the China Open 2011. The players had duelled on outdoor hard courts of the National Tennis Center in Beijing, China for a
lengthy two hours and thirty minutes. Winning the opening round was the world number ten Bartoli by bouncing back from a set down to secure a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Opting to serve first was Czech Benesova and she was successful in winning a game on her serve and she further broke her adversary in the second game to take a mini lead of 2-0. It was in the third game that Bartoli broke back
to score a game and placed herself on the scoreboard by reducing the deficit to 1-2.
However, Benesova was not going down without a fight and broke Bartoli in the fourth game and further increased the gap to 4-1 by holding her service game in the fifth game. In the remaining four games the players held serve and
even though Bartoli reduced the deficit to 4-6, she was unable to muster the numbers and clog the first set.
Nevertheless, Benesova snatched away the opening round which boosted her confidence and by smashing beautiful drop shots and winners, she secured a 6-4 victory and was one up in the match.
The second set was opened by Bartoli and both the players were able to successfully place themselves on the score board at 1-1 in the first two games. In the following two games Bartoli held serve in the third and then went on
to breaking Benesova for the first time in the set in the fourth game.
By the end of the fourth game, Bartoli was leading with 3-1 and in the fifth and sixth game the players broke each other back-to-back and the scoreboard rolled at 4-2. The players again won on alternate serves and by the last two
games they broke each other back-to-back but in the end Bartoli took away the second set even though Benesova had tried her level best she was unable to meet the numbers.
The decisive set was opened by Bartoli and with a new zeal and zest to win the match; both the players were able to conquer their service games in the first two games. The scoreboard moved on even terms with the players matching
a blow for a blow and the scoreboard tied at 3-3 then 4-4 and eventually at 5-5.
At this time point the match could’ve tilted either way as the players were meeting a toe for a toe but in the last two games Bartoli held serve by battling a deuce and in the twelfth game as Benesova double faulted on her second
serve, she endorsed the match point to Bartoli.
Marion Bartoli will now be facing American Christina McHale in the second round of the event.
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