Marion Bartoli overwhelms Lucie Hradecka; makes it to the semi-final of Internationaux de Strasbourg
Top seeded Marion Bartoli humbled Czech Lucie Hradecka on Thursday 6-2, 6-3 to reach the semi-final at 2011 Internationaux de Strasbourg in France.
The Frenchwoman has looked in excellent touch since the start of this season. In her opening match at the tournament she made quick work of Japanese Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-2, 6-1. Bartoli continued her great form in the quarterfinal
match-up against Lucie Hradecka as she required only one hour and ten minutes dispatching her opponent.
Heavy crowd favourite Bartoli made an emphatic start to the contest as she broke her opponent with four straight points to gain the psychological advantage in the match. She stuck to her strengths and managed to make another serve
break to earn in impassable 5-2 lead in the set. The set went to Bartoli’s way after she successfully held on to her next serve game.
Hradecka put up a good fight in the following set and broke the French in one of the game as well but Bartoli kept focus on her own game play and broke back once to ensure her straight sets victory. Bartoli used her powerful forehand
and backhand shots to great effect and served ferociously to down her opponent.
With her powerful and on-target serves, Bartoli was able to win points at crucial situation during the match. She also earned vital points with her superb serve aces and reached an impressive 65 per cent first serve conversion.
Bartoli asserted her dominance in the serve return department as well by clinching more than 50 per cent of the points.
Hradecka looked a bit out of sorts as she struggled to time the ball. Although she had quite a few break chances in the match, she was unable to convert them which led to her downfall. The Czech tennis-pro had a weak second serve
as she managed to win only 36 per cent of the second serve points.
Her unforced errors including three double faults also played a vital role in deciding the outcome of the game. Hradecka, who is known as a great fighter in the sport, will be eying a strong come back to the Women’s Tennis Association
tour.
Bartoli will face Anabel Medina Garrigues in the semi-final match up. Garrigues has been in commanding form over the last few months and lifted her tenth WTA title at Estoril Open. Bartoli leads the head to head record against
the Spaniard by 5-2 however Garrigues has defeated Bartoli in their both meetings on the clay surface including her win in Rome just over a week ago. Bartoli will have to be at her best to yield positive results from this encounter.
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