Marion Bartoli vs. Samantha Stosur – Semi-final Preview: AEGON International 2011
All eyes are fixed upon the rain-delayed semi-final matchup, as the world number nine Marion Bartoli of France faces the tenth ranked Samantha Stosur of Australia at the 2011 AEGON International Championships. The contest will
be played at the Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club in Eastbourne, England.
The ‘Dual-Fisted’ Bartoli, whose return of serve is considered to the biggest weapon, has a 31/5 year-to-date win/loss mark this season. She had an astounding beginning at the AEGON International, defeating the world number 70,
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in the second round, but received a walkover into the semi-finals when her Belarusian opponent, Victoria Azarenka, forfeited the contest in her favour. The world number nine is one of the strongest players among the other contenders
for the AEGON International and is looking well on the course of winning it.
Her Aussie opponent made her way through to the semi-finals of the WTA tournament, toiling through her initial round matches. She came back from the brink to defeat Russian Vera Zvonareva to book a date with the French woman in
the Semi-finals.
The 26-year-old Bartoli has been in tremendous form with her final-round appearances at the Miami Masters and Strasbourg respectively. The French woman electrified the French Open with her performance as she reached the semi-finals
and was only stopped by the two-time French Open champion, Francesca Schiavone.
Her opponent Stosur has been fighting with her own performance and has been trying to lift her game to an improved level of excellence. After her quarterfinal appearance at Dubai Tennis Championships, the Aussie went on to reach
the semi-finals at the Bank of West Classic. She then made her stop the Rome Masters where she again managed to reach the semi-finals before losing to Na Li and not progressing into the finals.
This is the fourth career meeting between the two veterans and Stosur leads the head-to-head series 2-1. The last time they met was at the second round of 2010 Bank of West Classic, where Stosur won easily with a 6-2, 6-2 score.
Bartoli is in fine form at the tournament, but the oft-injured Frenchwoman has to be very careful about her work loading prior to heading over to the All-England Club for the season’s third Grand Slam.
Both women have never played each other at the grass-court, however, Bartoli is a considerable favourite in this one simply based on her current form, as she is making her fifth consecutive semi-final appearance on tour. However,
if her mental game is just a little bit off during the showdown, Stosur will have a great chance to feast upon her opponent’s feebleness.
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